Jenny
>From: "Helen Dynda" <olddad66@runestone.net>
>Reply-To: adhesions@adhesions.org
>To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS
><adhesions@mail.medispecialty.com>
>Subject: Prevent Passage of the Pain Relief Promotion Act...I SENT MY
>LETTER!!!
>Date: Wed, 21 Mar 2001 03:51:36 -0600
>
>[] Prevent Passage of the Pain Relief Promotion Act....I SENT MY LETTER!!!
>
>On Tuesday, March 20th I sent my letter to HELP PREVENT the passage of the
>Pain Relief Promotion Act.
>
>This was so easy to do!! PLEASE take a few minutes and send your letter
>too!!
>
>Helen Dynda
>
>~ ~ ~ ~
>
>[] Prevent Passage of the Pain Relief Promotion Act...
>
>http://www.patientadvocacy.org/section_fs.htm?section=hc_debate
>
>BACKGROUND
>
>Under current law, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has the
>authority to enforce federal law preventing the illegal manufacturing or
>dispensing of controlled substances, but does not have the authority to
>review a physician's medical determination of what drug is most appropriate
>to alleviate a particular patient's pain. Under legislation that has
>already
>passed the House and that may soon come to a vote in the Senate, commonly
>known as the Pain Relief Promotion Act, DEA agents would gain new federal
>authority to monitor and regulate physicians' clinical management of their
>patients' pain care. If the DEA determines that the intent of a prescribing
>physician was not to relieve pain, but to hasten death, the physician would
>be subject to federal prosecution and a jail term of not less than 20
>years.
>These new powers are likely to have a chilling effect on the willingness of
>physicians - many of whom already express reluctance to use powerful
>narcotics -- to prescribe necessary medicines to suffering patients.
>
>Patients must be able to select appropriate courses of care based on the
>opinion of their physicians without any outside pressure. They need to know
>that their doctors will be allowed to treat them without the constant
>threat
>of federal prosecution. After all, physicians' treatment determinations
>depend on numerous physical and medical factors that doctors are educated
>for years to observe and address. Law enforcement agents, while very
>effective in law enforcement activities, are unlikely to possess the
>training and knowledge to judge doctor's medical treatment decisions.
>
>Originally, this legislation was introduced to reverse an Oregon law that
>allows terminally ill patients to obtain physician-assisted suicide. Most
>groups opposing the bill, however, DO NOT SUPPORT assisted suicide. If
>Congress believes it must act on the assisted suicide issue, it should find
>a means of addressing it that does not punish patients who seek appropriate
>medical treatment for pain.
>
>Recently, the Pain Relief Promotion Act was added to tax-cut legislation
>and
>was approved for the second time by the House of Representatives. The
>Senate
>could take up this legislation AT ANY TIME. It is important to act now by
>contacting Members of Congress and the President to ask
>
>( 1.) that they oppose the Pain Relief Promotion Act as a stand-alone
>measure and
>
>( 2.) that they support removing the provisions from ANY legislation in
>which it appears in the remaining days of the 106th Congress.
>
>URGENT ACTION NEEDED!
>
>Your help is needed today to prevent Congress from passing the Pain Relief
>Promotion Act and thereby protect the rights of patients to receive the
>best, most appropriate care from their physicians without the fear of
>intervention by federal law enforcement officials. Your representative and
>senators need to hear from you. It is vital that they understand that this
>legislation would prevent patients both in their hometowns and around the
>country from receiving the medical care that they require.
>
>This year's congressional session is almost over, so please visit our
>Legislative Advocacy Center http://cw2k.capweb.net/patientadvocacy/ NOW and
>e-mail your representative and senators TODAY!
>
>~ ~ ~ ~
>
>NOTE: If the above URL was not highlighted or you prefer to go through the
>process from beginning to the end, these steps will lead you to the place
>where you can actually send your letter to your Senator(s) and
>Representative(s). PLEASE DO THIS!! YOUR INPUT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!
>
>1.) Prevent Passage of the Pain Relief Promotion Act.
>
>* Enter: http://www.patientadvocacy.org/
>
>* Click: Health Care Debate in Washington
>
>* Click: other health care issues
>
>* Click: Choose: Prevent Passage of the Pain Relief Promotion Act.
>
>2.) Take Action: Legislative Alert
>
>* Enter: http://cw2k.capweb.net/patientadvocacy/
>
>* Select: Protect Patients' Access to Palliative Care
>
>* Click: Take Action
>
>3.) Select Letter:
>
>* Click: Protect Patients' Access to Palliative Care
>
>4.) Write Letter
>
>* contact name will be automatically filled in
>
>* your name will be automatically filled in
>
>* Click: Continue
>
>* Enter Info
>
>* Click: Continue
>
>5.) Choose Recipients
>
>* Click: Send
>