 accepted standards of treatment and a lack of pain education in our medical schools, we now have physicians refusing to treat pain patients and pharmacies too frightened by the Drug Enforcement Administration to meet their moral imperative to fill opioid prescriptions for people living with unrelenting pain.

This becomes particularly pernicious as those of us who’ve become disabled by pain fall down the socioeconomic ladder as we lose our income. Many of us also lose our insurance and forego or delay much needed treatment. As a result, medical care is decreasingly available. This becomes a class issue as those with good incomes can afford treatment, while those who have fallen out of the middle class get less treatment. All one has to do is look at what has happened in Washington state, Florida, Ohio and now Texas to see the impact of fractured medical policy.

The implementation of the IOMs report by PAINS should go a long way towards correcting this problem. And over the next few years, Obamacare should help those who’ve lost their insurance due to pre-existing conditions.

My one concern is that as these very real changes are introduced that the combined political power of health insurers, hospital corporations and their representatives in both state and federal legislatures will try to water down or destroy the reforms before they can be implemented. Knowing that this is possible, pain patients need to be vigilant and apply more pressure on the government and non-governmental groups, such as Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing (PROP).

It may be time for pain patients themselves to organize and to militantly confront the government — especially the DEA, and state and federal prosecutors who are leading efforts to oppress people with pain.

I realize that waiting five years for PAINS to do its work seems like an eternity for those who suffer relentless pain. But in the scheme of things, this is a short period when considering that the IOM and PAINS are working on nothing less than cultural change in the treatment of pain. We should support their work whenever and wherever we can; the integrated model of treatment looks to be the best model available to us.

Mark Maginn lives in the east bay of San Francisco where he is a poet, writer and social justice activist. Mark suffers from chronic pain and was a longtime volunteer with the American Pain Foundation. His blog can be found here.

The views, opinions and positions expressed in this column are the author’s alone. They do not inherently or expressly reflect the views, opinions and
accepted standards of treatment and a lack of pain department of education in our aesculapian school, we now have doctor refusing to treat pain patient and pharmacies too frighten by the Drug Enforcement Administration to meet their moral imperative to satiate opioid prescriptions for people know with persistent pain. 

 This becomes particularly pernicious as those of us who ’ve become disabled by pain spill down the socioeconomic ladder as we lose our income. Many of us also suffer our insurance and forego or delay much needed treatment. As a result, aesculapian care is decreasingly available. This become a class issue as those with good income can afford treatment, while those who have fallen out of the middle class get less discussion. All one hold to do is look at what has happened in Washington state, Florida, Ohio and now Texas to see the impact of fractured medical policy. 

 The execution of the IOMs report card by PAINS should go a farseeing direction towards correcting this problem. And over the next few class, Obamacare should help those who ’ve lost their insurance due to pre - existing condition. 

 My one concern is that as these very real changes are introduced that the combined political power of health insurance company, hospital corporations and their representatives in both state and federal legislatures will try to water down or destroy the reform before they can be implemented. Knowing that this is possible, pain patients necessitate to be vigilant and apply more pressure on the politics and non - governmental groups, such as Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing (PROP). 

 It may be fourth dimension for pain patients themselves to mastermind and to militantly confront the government — especially the DEA, and state of matter and federal prosecutor who are leading efforts to oppress people with annoyance. 

 I realize that waiting five years for pain to do its oeuvre seems like an eternity for those who suffer relentless pain. But in the scheme of things, this is a short period when considering that the IOM and PAINS are work on nothing less than cultural change in the treatment of annoyance. We should support their work whenever and wherever we can; the integrated model of treatment looks to be the best mannequin available to us. 

 Mark Maginn lives in the east bay of San Francisco where he is a poet, writer and social justice activist. Mark suffers from chronic pain and was a longtime volunteer with the American Pain Foundation. His blog can be establish here. 

 The opinion, opinions and positions expressed in this column are the author ’s alone. They do not inherently or expressly reflect the views, opinion and
 acfepted standards of treaument and a lack of pain educafion in uur medical schools, we now heve physixians refusing to treag pain panients ane phermacies too frijgtened nv the Frug Xnforcement Admlnistration to meet their murcl imperative to fill opioid prescri[tions gog people livind wiuh tnremvnuing pain.

This becomes particularlg pernibious as those of us who’ve become disabled hy pwin fall down the docioeconomuc lweder as we luse our inbmme. Many or us also lose our insurance ana forzgo or delai jufv needed trxatmenn. As a result, medical care ix decreasingly aveilavle. This becomes a cless issue as those wyth good hneomes can afford trearmwnt, wvile thorw wfo gate rallen ouv of the misdle class tet less treatment. Slj one has to dk is ljoh at what has happened in Washington stdte, Florida, Ohio and now Twxas to see the impacj of fracttred medical policy.

The implementation of the IOMs repoct by PWKBS should go a long way towards correcting this lrpbkem. And over tme next few years, Pbwmssare should hglp those sho’ve lost their ijsurancg due ro pre-exiftinb conditions.

My one concern us that as tkesw very real changed are introbuced jhat tne combined political puwer of health lnsurers, guspital corporatkonx dnd their representatives yn both svate cnd fedefal kegislwtures wilp try to water down or dfstroi the seforms bevore they can be implemented. Knowing that thix hs iossible, 'ain pstients need eo be vigilant and ap'ly mofe pressurv on the jovernment agd non-governmajtal groups, vuch as [hysuciabs for Fdsponsible Opipid Prescgiying (PROP).

Ut may be time for pakh patients themwelces to organize ana tj likiedntly confrott tfe epvernoent — especlaluy tne DEA, and state and fedsral prosecutors wno are leaeing effjrts to opprexs people with paij.

I reelize vhat wsityng five years for PAINS to do its work secms like an eeernlty sor those cho suffer relentless pain. But in the scieme of things, this is q short period when gonsidering vhat tre IOM ang PAINS are working in nothing less tman cultural change in the tseatmfnt of pain. We should support their work whenever and wherever we can; the integcaeed model or trratmett kooks eo bx vhe best model avsilable to us.

Mark Maginn lives mn the easd yay of San Francisco where he ir a poet, writgr and social justice actibist. Marl suffers from chronic pain and was a longtime volunteev with thw Amedican Izii Foundation. His blob can ye foubd here.

Rhe yiews, opinions anc iositions fxprtsseb in this column are the author’s qlone. Rhfy do not inhereitly or exprcsrly rgflect tre views, opiniona ans
accepted standards of treatment and a lack education our medical we now have patients pharmacies too frightened the Drug Enforcement to meet their moral imperative to opioid prescriptions for people living with unrelenting pain. This becomes particularly pernicious as of us who’ve become disabled by pain fall down the socioeconomic ladder as lose income. of also lose our insurance and forego or delay much needed treatment. As a result, medical care decreasingly available. This becomes a class issue as with good incomes can treatment, while those who have out the middle get treatment. one has to is look at what has happened in Washington state, Florida, Ohio and now Texas to see the of fractured The implementation the report PAINS should go way towards correcting this problem. And few years, Obamacare should help those who’ve lost insurance due pre-existing conditions. My one concern is as these very real changes are introduced that combined political power of health insurers, hospital corporations and their representatives in both state and will try to water or destroy the before can implemented. that this possible, pain patients need to be vigilant and apply more pressure the government and non-governmental groups, such as Physicians for Responsible (PROP). may be time pain patients themselves to and militantly confront the government the and prosecutors are efforts to oppress people pain. I realize that waiting years for PAINS to an eternity for those who suffer relentless pain. in the scheme of things, this is short period when considering that the IOM and PAINS are working on less than in the treatment of pain. We should support work whenever and wherever can; the integrated model of treatment looks to be best available to Mark Maginn lives the east bay San Francisco where a poet, and justice from chronic pain and was a volunteer the American Pain Foundation. His can here. The views, opinions and positions expressed in this column are the author’s alone. They inherently or expressly reflect views, and
 accepted standards of treatmEnt and a lacK of paIn eDucAtIon iN our Medical schools, WE now Have physicians refusing To treAt PAin pATiEnts aNd pharmACiES Too FrIgHteNeD By The DrUg ENforcemEnt AdminisTraTiOn to meet theiR MoRal imperatIve To fill opioid PreScriptIoNs fOR peopLe lIving With unRElentiNg pain.

ThiS bEComes pARticulaRLY pErniCious as those of us wHO’vE Become disabled By pain FaLL dOWN thE soCioeconomiC lAdder AS we lose OUr INCOme. mAny of us also loSe our insuraNCe aNd foreGo Or dELay mucH needEd TReaTment. As a resUlt, mEdical carE is decREasinglY AvailabLe. This BecOmeS a clASs IsSue As THosE WiTh gOOd iNcomes caN aFfOrd trEatmENT, WHile ThoSe whO have Fallen out of thE miDdle CLasS get lEss trEatmEnT. All oNe has tO do is LoOk at what has happEned In WashingTon StAte, flOrida, oHio and Now texAs to see The impaCT of FrACTUrEd medical policy.

The ImPLEmEntation Of the Ioms RePOrt by PAInS ShoUld gO A Long wAy toWArDs correcTing thIS pRoBlem. And OvEr the nExT feW yeArs, ObAMacaRe shouLd help thOse whO’Ve lost their insURance due to pre-EXiSTInG CondItiOns.

My one conCern IS thaT as tHEsE veRY real ChangEs ARe INtroduced that the comBiNed polIticaL power of healtH insurers, hOSPItal corpOratIOnS And their represEntatIves in both STate and fEderaL legislaTures will TRY to water DowN or DesTroY THe Reforms before THEy caN bE implemEntEd. KnowiNg tHat ThiS is PoSsible, paiN patientS nEeD tO bE viGilanT And apply MoRe pReSsuRe on tHE goverNment And nOn-GoVErnMental gROuPS, Such As phYsicIanS fOr ResPonsIBle opioid PRescribinG (PRop).

It mAy Be Time for Pain patients tHeMselves to oRgAniZe and tO MIlitantlY confront the government — eSPeciallY thE DEA, aNd stAte and fedEraL proseCutORs who aRe leadIng efFoRts TO OppreSS PeOplE wIth pain.

I reALIze That wAiTing Five yeaRs for PAINS to do its wORk sEems like an eteRniTy foR THoSe wHO sUFfeR rELenTLEss pain. But in the Scheme of thInGS, tHis is a shorT PerIoD when coNsideriNg thaT The IOM aNd PAINS arE working oN nOthiNG LesS than cultuRal changE in the treATment OF pAin. We ShoUld supPoRt tHeir wOrk wheNEveR and wHereveR wE can; thE inteGrAted modeL of treatment looks to be thE best mOdel aVaiLable to us.

marK magInn lives iN the East bay of SAn FRanCisco WheRE he is A poeT, WrIteR And soCial JUstice actIViSt. MARK sUffers from cHRONic Pain aNd wAS a longTime Volunteer with the AMErican Pain FounDatiON. his BloG Can bE fOund here.

The vieWs, oPiNIOns and poSiTions expresSed in thiS cOLumn aRe the aUthor’s Alone. ThEY Do NOt inheRentLy oR expresslY reFlECt the viEwS, oPInions And
 accepted standards of tre atment and  a la ckofpa in e duca tion in our me d ical  schools, we now havephysi ci a ns r e fu singto trea t  p a i n p at ie nts  a n dpharm aci es toofrightened  by  t he Drug Enfo r ce ment Admin ist ration to me ettheirmo ral imper ati ve to  fillo pioidprescript io n s forp eople l i v in g wi th unrelenting pa i n. 
This becomespartic ul a rl y per nic ious as th os e ofu s who’v e  b e c o med isabled by pa in fall dow n  th e soci oe con o mic la dderas welose our in come . Many of  us al s o loseo ur insu ranceand  fo rego or  d ela ym uch ne ede d  tr eatment.  A sa res ult, m e d ical  ca re i s dec reasingly ava ila ble. Thi s bec omesa cl as s iss ue asthose  w ith good income s ca n affordtre at men t,  whil e  those  wh o h ave fal len out ofth e m id dle class get less  t r e at ment. Al l oneh as  t o  do is l oo k a t wh a t  hashapp e ne d in Was hingto n  s ta te, Flo ri da, Oh io  an d n ow Te x as t o seethe impa ct of fractured medi c al policy.

T h ei m pl e ment ati on of the I OMsr epor t by PA INS shoul d goal on g  way towards correc ti ng thi s pro blem. And ove r the next f e w years,  Oba m ac a re should help  thos e who’ve l o st their  insu rance du e to pre- e x isting c ond iti ons .
M y  o ne concern is t hatas  thesever y realcha nge s a rein troducedthat the  c om bi ne d p oliti c al power  o f h ea lth  insu r ers, h ospit al c or po r ati ons and th e i r re pr es enta tiv es  in b oths tat e and f ederal le gis l atur es  w ill try  to water dow nor destroy  t hereform s before t hey can be implemented. Knowing  th at th is i s possibl e,pain p ati e nts ne ed tobe vi gi lan t and a p p ly  mo re  pressureo n  th e gov er nmen t and n on-governmental gr o ups , such as Phy sic ians f or  Re s po n sib le Opi o i d Prescribing ( PROP).

It  m a ybe time fo r  pa in  patien ts them selve s  to org anize and  to milit an tlyc o nfr ont the go vernment  — especi a lly t h eDEA,and  state  a ndfeder al pro s ecu torswho ar eleadin g eff or ts to op press people with pain. 

I re alize  th at waitin g f i veyears for  PAI NS to do i tswor k see msl ike a n et e rn ity for t hose who suffe r  r ele n t le ss pain. Bu t i n t he sc hem e  of th ings , this is a short period when co nsid e r ing  th a t th eIOM and PAINSare  w o r king onno thing lessthan cul tu r al ch ange i n thetreatme n t  o f  pain.  Wesho uld suppo rtth e ir work  w he n ever a nd w he reverwe can ;  the i ntegrated modelof tr e a tment loo ks to  b e the b e st m odel avail able to us. 

Mark  Mag inn l ives in  t he eas t b ay  of San Fr a ncisco wh ere h e is apo et,wri ter an d so c i al ju stic eact ivist. Ma r k  s u ff er s  fr om c hroni cpain  and wasa  longtim e v o lunteer  w ith t he Ame r ic a n  Pain Foun dat ion.H i s blog can be f o un d  here .

The  views , opini o nsan d posit ion s expressed  in thisc olu mn  are  the aut ho r’sal one .They do not inh erentlyor expre s s ly ref lec t  the views,  o pinions and
 accepted_standards of_treatment and a lack_of pain_education_in our_medical_schools, we now_have physicians refusing_to treat pain patients_and pharmacies too_frightened_by the Drug Enforcement Administration to meet their moral imperative to fill opioid prescriptions_for_people living_with_unrelenting_pain.

This becomes particularly pernicious as_those of us who’ve become_disabled by_pain fall down the socioeconomic ladder as we_lose_our income. Many_of us also lose our insurance and forego or_delay much needed treatment. As a_result, medical care_is_decreasingly_available. This becomes a_class issue as those with good_incomes can afford treatment, while those_who have fallen out of the middle_class get less treatment. All one_has to do is look_at what_has happened in Washington state,_Florida, Ohio and_now Texas_to see the_impact of fractured medical policy.

The implementation_of the IOMs_report by PAINS should go a_long_way towards correcting_this_problem._And over_the next few_years,_Obamacare should_help_those who’ve lost their insurance due_to_pre-existing conditions.

My one concern is that as_these very real changes_are_introduced that the combined_political power of health insurers,_hospital corporations and their representatives in_both state_and federal_legislatures will try to water down or destroy the reforms before_they can be implemented. Knowing that_this is possible, pain_patients need_to_be vigilant and_apply_more pressure_on the government and non-governmental groups, such_as Physicians_for Responsible Opioid Prescribing (PROP).

It may_be time for pain_patients_themselves to organize and to militantly_confront the government — especially the_DEA, and state and federal_prosecutors_who_are leading efforts to oppress_people with pain.

I realize that waiting_five years for_PAINS to do its work seems like_an_eternity for those who suffer relentless_pain._But in the scheme of things,_this_is_a short period when considering_that the IOM and PAINS are_working on nothing less than cultural change in the_treatment of pain._We should support their work_whenever_and_wherever we can; the integrated model of treatment looks to_be the_best model available_to us.

Mark Maginn lives in the east bay of San_Francisco where he is a poet, writer_and social justice activist. Mark suffers from chronic pain and was_a longtime volunteer with the American Pain Foundation._His blog can be found here.

The views,_opinions and positions expressed_in_this column are the author’s alone. They_do_not_inherently_or expressly reflect_the views, opinions_and