11 comments

1. Sarah Horvath | Oct 21, 2022
   Thank you, PAMED, for aligning with the AMA, ACOG and professional medicine on this incredibly important issue.
   
2. Eduardo Rueda-Vasquez | Oct 10, 2022
   Now we know that the human right of employment and earning a living wage is the best recipe for physical and mental health, dignity, and longer life. This human right has to be enacted by law by the lawmakers with the consent of the powerful bureaucrats of the corporations instead of lobbying the legislature to create laws to improve their profits and lessens or avoid taxation. But since the state government is not created to favor solely this powerful minority, and physicians have dedicated their lives to helping their fellow citizens, especially those citizens that are disabled, unable to get approved for SSI, stamps, low rent housing, etc it is incumbent for the state government and these corporations to offer employment with livable wages to approximately 25% of the disabled citizenship of the state who otherwise suffer slow torturous death with homelessness, hunger, disease, depression and, or suicide without the medical care, insurance, etc. the disabled citizens urgently need.
3. Louise Butler | Sep 30, 2022

   A couple of these comments are hilarious. 1-- if you have ever been on a committee, you should know that this statement was written by the guidance of several members, and then voted on before publication, with majority rule. No one needs to target any certain person. 2-- Unless one really ignores everything political, we all know who the "bureaucrats" are: those who make laws who try to figure out what everyone wants. In this case, that represents about 30% of the population. 3-- It absolutely should include substance abuse and other mental health disorders. It should include EVERY issue! We should not be challenged as a Family Doctor when we prescibe an antidepressant, or a cholesterol med, or a bp med! WE are the ones who are educated in treating people, NOT politicians.  We ALL know that this is about reproductive rights, mainly the right for a safe and legal abortion. This issue should NEVER be political. The decision should be made between the patient, their doctor and their "God". 

   I thank you,  PAMED, and I am proud to be a member.

4. Andrei Vedeniapin | Sep 27, 2022

   It would be helpful to know the specific PA government document this PAMED statement is responding to. Are who exactly are the “bureaucrats”? Can this statement apply to Substance Use Disorders and Mental Health Disorders treatment options as well? Do we have to change PA Mental Health Law to provide better care to our patients when they need it the most? 

5. Robert E. Wenger | Sep 27, 2022
   Thank you for this long overdue statement from our professional medical body.  The efficacious delivery of evidenced-based medical care presumes the integrity  of the doctor:patient  relationship.  The privacy of that trusting relationship should  be inviolate and not subject  to the socio-cultural skirmishes of politics.    Let''s hope the statement gets wide distribution and appreciation. 
6. Ashley Rodgers | Sep 27, 2022
   Thank you, Dr. Freeman! 
7. James Freeman | Sep 26, 2022

   I agree. Government should not interpose itself between the physician and the patient with respect to routine decisions about what is the best medical course.

   Well put Ashley. The process of prescribing pain medications and other controlled medications for our patients who require them should not be encumbered. It is especially odious when those encumbrances, legislated or not and often adopted by many health care systems, third party insurers, and pharmacies, are designed to dissuade practitioners from prescribing controlled substances. The hassle and illegitimate professional risk for prescribing controlled medication must be eliminated to allow us to freely practice and best meet the needs of our patients who bear the cost of these unnecessary measures, often suffering in pain.   

8. Ashley Rodgers | Sep 25, 2022

   This needs to be said for pain management as well!

   People are suffering unnecessarily! Cancer patients,  sickle cell, rare painful diseases like spina bifida and Ehlers-Danlos...the list is enormous.  Opiate pain medications have been vilified and clinicians,  rather than drug cartles, are being blamed and targeted; and often prosecuted. (I always say: they have assets and addresses so they're easier to "blame"  Yes there have been "pill mill cases", but you can't let a few bad apples spoil the bunch). 

   The Supreme Court just ruled (in the Ruan case) that clinicians and patients are to decide what is adequate & proper treatment, not politicians.

   Time to end the war on pain patients. End the MME limits. Remove CDC Guidelines from policies. Though they're not technically law, they're implemented as such.

   One-size-fits-all doesn't work in Healthcare!!! 

9. James W. Thomas | Sep 23, 2022

   Who exactly wrote this statement and approved the above statement on behalf of PAMED?

    

    

    

   
   

    

    

    

    

10. Cadence Kim | Sep 22, 2022
    I absolutely agree. Also proud to be a member.
11. Dale Mandel | Sep 22, 2022
    Proud to be a member of The Pennsylvania Medical Society.