“A World of Hurt: Fixing Pain Medicine’s Biggest Mistake” by Barry Meier (NY Times Books)
New York Times reporter Barry Meier has published a new ebook about the “world of prescription pain medication”. Mr. Meier previously published “Pain Killer: A ‘Wonder’ Drug’s Trail of Addiction and Death” which was centered on Oxycontin abuse by teenagers.
In this new book, Meier approaches the now epidemic status of painkiller abuse in America from its roots in pain medicine, noting that the powerful opioid pain killers aren’t even successful for their original intended purpose (treating chronic pain).
The sales blurb for the book:
This new e-book explores the untold part of the prescription painkiller story – the growing evidence that these drugs, along with causing an epidemic of abuse, are often ineffective in treating long-term pain and are harming patients.
From an interview with a NY Times blogger:
Drugs are cheaper than talk therapy. Drugs are cheaper than a multidisciplinary approach to chronic pain. Doctors get reimbursed to treat people quickly, so funding for other approaches is cut out. These drugs became the treatment method of choice.
Help spread the news about this new book:
Resources:
- Interview with the Author
- Excerpt from the book (PDF) and book
- noting the difference between opiate and opioid
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