MemphisX3
Bluelighter
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- May 26, 2004
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full article with comments can be found here
I had no idea Tennessee was the "2nd most medicated state in the country". We have no pills mills, in memphis, due to multiple high profile arrests of 3 doctors who were well known for years to prescribe incredible amounts of narcotics.
Dr. Fearnow in 2009
Dr. Randeep Mann who was also given a life sentence for planting a bomb under the car of the head of the arkansas medical board. nine of his patients OD'd and died
And Dr. Michael Patterson was actually a suboxone doctor but was prescribing narcotics to people he knew were addicts
I actually think Patterson is innocent as I was once his patient and I never noticed anything out of the ordinary in his office. His office is actually in one of the more "uppity" suburbs in Memphis. I understand that there are some well known pain doctors out of the Chattanooga and Knoxville area but this whole "Tennessee is the 2nd most medicated state" is a surprise to me.
Tennessee is the 2nd most medicated state in country, according to Forbes Magazine
Governor Haslam wants to toughen the states prescription drug database
A Pharmacist says rules are already tough, and addicts will still abuse system
Prescription drug abuse remains a big problem in the midsouth and now it's nationally known. Forbes Magazine named Tennessee the second most mediciated state in the country, only West Virginia performed more poorly.
Longtime midtown pharmacist Charlie Smith says addicts are a big problem for the medical community "Its a real problem, but I really don't know much we can do.", said Smith.
Governor Haslam is looking into legislation to require more scrutiny when prescribing and filling prescriptions. In some states doctors not only record what medications a patient is prescribed, but must check them to make sure the patient isn't getting too many.
Oklahoma lawmaker Pat Ownbey says if doctors use it, it works. "What we're saying is before you write the prescription, take a seconf and check what prescription that patient has been prescribed.", said Ownbey.
But local pharmacists say no matter how you change the rules addicts will find a way around them. It's really just making life more difficult for pharmacists. "I've got so many people looking over my shoulder when I fill a prescription now." said Smith.
I had no idea Tennessee was the "2nd most medicated state in the country". We have no pills mills, in memphis, due to multiple high profile arrests of 3 doctors who were well known for years to prescribe incredible amounts of narcotics.
Dr. Fearnow in 2009
Dr. Randeep Mann who was also given a life sentence for planting a bomb under the car of the head of the arkansas medical board. nine of his patients OD'd and died
And Dr. Michael Patterson was actually a suboxone doctor but was prescribing narcotics to people he knew were addicts
I actually think Patterson is innocent as I was once his patient and I never noticed anything out of the ordinary in his office. His office is actually in one of the more "uppity" suburbs in Memphis. I understand that there are some well known pain doctors out of the Chattanooga and Knoxville area but this whole "Tennessee is the 2nd most medicated state" is a surprise to me.
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