Prescription Drug Diversion and Pain History, Policy, and Treatment

Prescription Drug Diversion and Pain provides an interdisciplinary overview of medications used to treat chronic pain, specifically the benefits and risks that are posed by long-term opioids use. These essential pain-relieving medications must be carefully managed to prevent serious side effects that may include physical dependence, addiction, and even death, which has led in recent years to increased attention on the development of alternative treatments for chronic pain. This book not only offers a single, comprehensive source for understanding the specialized field of the opioid crisis, but also addresses provocative topics including how pain drugs came to be regulated by the U.S. Government and the rarely-discussed aggressive marketing behind the spread of these drugs. Chapters are written by expert contributors from diverse backgrounds in medicine, psychiatry, pharmacy, nursing, health law, and ethics. Prescription Drug Diversion and Pain is a must-read for healthcare professionals, caregivers, policy makers, regulatory officials, law enforcement, and those in the pharmaceutical industry seeking to address the current and future opioid crisis.

Dr. Peppin is board certified in Internal Medicine and pain medicine and is a certified EPEC trainer. Elected Fellow of the American College of Physicians, Kentucky Colonel in 2009 and PainWeek 2011 Clinician of the Year he has been active in the pain, palliative medicine, bioethics and internal medicine fields for over 20 years. Has published over 65 articles in the fields of pain management, palliative care and bioethics and edited books and given numerous lectures, papers and posters at conferences nationally and internationally. Dr. Peppin has been a reviewer for the Cochrane PaPaS group. Additionally he has been on editorial boards and is a reviewer for multiple journals. He currently has an active health care consulting business. Dr. Coleman's career began with fighting the French Connection, first in New York City, and then as Narcotics Attaché assigned to the American Embassy in Paris, France. His assignments carried him throughout the U.S. and around the world. He was appointed Assistant Administrator of the DEA in charge of operations, including the Office of Diversion Control. After retiring, Dr. Coleman founded the Prescription Drug Research Center LLC to assist companies in developing Abuse-Deterrent Drugs. Dr. Coleman was elected President of DrugWatch International, Inc., a global non-profit group dedicated to fighting drug abuse through education and prevention. Dr. Dineen is the director of the health law program at Creighton University School of Law. Before earning her JD and PhD (health care ethics), she practiced nursing in several practice areas, including working with many patients with chronic persistant pain. Her law practice included representing individual and institutional health care clients in regulatory and licensure matters. Dr. Dineen's current research focuses on the decision making in health policy and regulation and the impact on people with highly stigmatized conditions, such as high-impact chronic pain and addiction. Mr. Ruggles is a licensed attorney and current Ph.D. student. While earning his J.D. from Saint Louis University, he served the indigent population within the Archdiocese of Saint Louis through his work with Catholic Legal Assistance Ministry. Following law school and admittance to the Missouri Bar, he finished coursework towards a Ph.D. in health care ethics. His areas of interest include addiction, end of life issues, and the various other intersections of law and bioethics.