A host of articles are appearing this week decrying the dispensing of opioids to military veterans who are dealing with PTSD. Researchers at a Veterans Affairs hospital studied treatment programs for Iraq and Afghanistan soldiers with psychiatric disorders (including post-traumatic stress disorder). They found significant use of high-powered painkillers like OxyContin, Percocet and Vicodin.
Their report is published in the march 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The researchers noted compounded problems for these soldiers, including accidents, overdose and self-inflicted injury. The report shows that a significantly higher percentage of veterans with PTSD or other mental health problems were given narcotic painkillers than those without mental health problems.
Comment: VA officials responded to the report with a 'we need to work on that' statement. We have to wonder what kind of thinking is going on at the VA. No responsible medical authority should allow the use of these highly addictive drugs which are marketed as pain killers, on mental health patients. Why would anyone condone giving these highly addictive medications to veterans who suffer PTSD? What is the medical justification? This inhumane treatment of those who have given so much by the very government they trust for their care is disgusting. Serious and swift action is called for.
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