The DEA says the clinics are "pill mills." You can read one Indictment here, although it names no doctors, just the owners and employees of some of the pain clinics. An arrest warrant for one of the doctors arrested today alleged;
Jeffrey Lipman, a Miami osteopath and president of Midtown Pain Management at 3800 N. Miami Ave. Lipman is charged with six counts of drug trafficking for selling pills to undercover agents posing as patients without legitimate medical problems, according to an arrest affidavit. In one instance, an agent received pills from Lipman after complaining of a lower back problem – though he brought the doctor an MRI image showing a neck injury, not a back injury, the report says.
I hope this doesn't discourage doctors and dentists from prescribing the pills to those who need the prescription drugs for pain relief. The DEA should not get between patients and doctors.
See also, Alas A Blog. From DrugWar Facts, some facts on Pain Management, Who is Obstructing Justice in Kansas? and War on Doctors/Pain Crisis.
Earlier TalkLeft posts on the topic: The War on Pain Management; the War against Pain Medicine; DEA Crackdown on Pain Meds Hurting Those in Nursing Homes and Hospices.
The now-defunct Pain Relief Network, railroaded out of existence by the DEA and DOJ, in its closing post, says:
People in pain are still being abused, neglected, and left to die by the entire system. Physicians brave enough to treat chronic pain continue to be intimidated and prosecuted. It breaks my heart that we have to stop, but there is simply no way forward for PRN.
You can watch a video from the Pain Relief Network here.