Transcripts For CNNW CNN Presents 20121202

Right now. And over the next hour, three people will die. He went to sleep, and he had no idea this was going to be his last night on earth. From misusing perfectly legal Prescription Drugs. Taking a deadly dose. Im a little concerned that may have taken something that wasnt good for me on accident. I took a few methadone from my grandpa. They were 10 milligrams. What you are listening to are actual calls. How is he acting . At the Washington Poison Center in seattle. Just drowsy . Okay. And lately, more and more of them sound Something Like this. And today, i took about 90 milligrams of percocet. Oh, you did . 6 00, i wasnt really thinking and i did a bar of xanax and im reading all this stuff online how that is a very lethal combination. I have a lot of friends who died in their sleep and i just wasnt really thinking. Now im wondering if i should stay up tonight. That kind of call to me is really scary. Oh, it is scary. What goes through your mind . So, i would be very frightened about that young man not making through the night. Dr. Bill hurley is the medical director of the poison center. He is also a trauma doctor. Possibly too many of his meds. They are not sure what all theyve got. We are here in seattle, in part, because the problem is bad. This bottle still has quite a bit in it. But also because, as you will see, there are real solutions. No other meds . For hurley it started five years ago. Hes got pinpoint pupils. He started noticing overdoses, a lot of them, coming through his e. R. Doors. We thought, well, these are the guys who are on the street, maybe using heroin. But looking deeper, he realized they werent junkies, not at all. It usually began with a back sprain. They were taking these medications no to the get high but try to control pain in most cases, back pain and then they were mixing them with other medication and having fatal reactions to that. A lot of people have back pain. A lot of people take pain medications for that pain. And what youre saying a lot of those people are then dying . Yeah. A lot of them are dying and a lot of people in our culture right now are at risk of dying from the exact same thing. I wanted to know more. So they allowed me to listen in. Poison center. May i help you . Yeah, my wife took hydromet and when we checked it later, she had taken 30 millimeters instead of five. To see the problem firsthand, i rode along with lieutenant craig aman. He has been on the job for 30 years. He will tell you, when he takes an overdose call the usual suspect is a painkiller. What sort of impact have you seen here in seattle . Well, i think if you pull a group of people together from this community, someone in that group is going to have had a friend, a loved one that has either had difficulty with a Prescription Drug or potentially died from that. Amans unit responds to 45 calls a month about overdoses involving these types of medications. And this is important it can be difficult to tell whether its a painkiller or heroin because they come from the same ingredient and do the same sort of thing to your body. Aside from needle tracks in the arms, someone who has had an overdose of pain medication like that or heroin, they could look very much the same . Absolutely. They could be unconscious from a medication that they think is relatively safe for them because instead of getting it on the street, they get it from a pharmacist. 36, code green. Possible Drug Overdose. These people are suffering from chronic pain. They know that a little bit of pain medication helps so maybe a lot would help a lot more. When we arrive, another medic is on the scene. Somewhere in that parking garage theres a call about someone having a Drug Overdose. The overdose victim came to and walked away, but while were there, another call. And its been just a few minutes. Weve got a 52yearold. He took approximately three dilaudid plus methadone. I decided to ride along with lieutenant john fisk, who is headed to the scene. Sounds like he has decreased consciousness and respiratory compromise. Sounds like a narcotic overdose. Car crashes are no longer the number one reason people die accidentally in the United States. Nowadays, its actually Prescription Drugs. Thats because on any given day people take more than the recommended dose, mix and match, or take medications not prescribed to them, maybe take pills with alcohol. And all of it can make for a deadly dose. In fact, the most recent data shows 37,000 Drug Overdose deaths in one year, mostly accidental. About 21,000 involve Prescription Drugs. And of those, 75 were pain killers. By the end of this hour, i promise you your idea of a potential overdose victim will change. To this. This could be you. It could be me. And thats the point. It could be anyone. He was big, strong, handsome, smart. Wanted to make something of his life. He had no idea that he was turning out the lights. None. And if its true of him, its got to be true of a lot of other people. Why not make lunch more than just lunch . With two times the points on dining in restaurants, you may find yourself asking why not, a lot. Chase sapphire preferred. Theres more to enjoy. Im going to dream about that steak. Im going to dream about that tiramisu. What a night, huh . But, um, can the test drive be over now . Head back to the dealership . [ male announcer ] its practically yours. But we still need your signature. Volkswagen sign then drive is back. And its never been easier to get a passat. Thats the power of german engineering. Get 0 down, 0 due at signing, 0 deposit, and 0 first months payment on any new volkswagen. Visit vwdealer. Com today. On december 19, 2011, benjamin gupta, a law and mba student at George Washington university, died suddenly. Mysteriously. Hes no relationship to me, but when his family got word, they spent hours trading phone calls. They were in stunned disbelief. There was a message from his mom, and she had left three messages for me so i knew there was something wrong. I received a call from my mom. I didnt answer, but then i got a text message from her, which is very unusual. And i called her back. And i said, what happened . And she says, its ben. He died. I just i didnt have any of the information. I finally said, how did this happen . And she said he went to sleep the night before and he just never woke up. Hes always smiling, every picture hes smiling. For days, ben guptas family was desperate for answers. What killed him . He was only 28 years old. He had recently been given a clean bill of health. How could he just not wake up . And then the thought went through my mind that maybe it was some sort of a brain aneurism or something must have happened. But his father was in for a shock after a conversation with the doctor who performed bens autopsy. And he called me and said, yes, you know, they found oxycodone in his system. He tells you he believes that your son died of an overdose of narcotics. Yeah. Right. What do you think at that point . I was just shocked at that time. Did you think it was possible, what you knew of your son . No. No. He worked for the state department, and he, you know, was going to graduate in a year with a dual law and mba degrees, you know, the type of person where it just doesnt even run through your head that hes having a problem because hes doing so well. Stuart bridge was a close friend of bens. They met in grammar school. He recalled a conversation that would later prove to be very important. He had met somebody new, and he really liked this new girl that he was dating. And ben told stuart that he and his new girlfriend had tried oxycodone and they thought it was no big deal. You know, im not doing it regularly. Its not something im seeking out, but its something that ive tried. Now, anyone else might just shrug off that conversation, but bridge wasnt just a friend. Hes also a doctor. And he warned ben about taking oxycodone and about mixing it with alcohol. Ive seen people die on these medications or experimenting with these medications. From just experimenting. The reason, the line between experimenting and overdose is tenuous. These drugs are Central Nervous system, or cns, depressants. They slow down the bodys vital functions, breathing, heart rate blood pressure. Thats not usually a problem when the pills are prescribed for you. But when you add them to other cns depressants like alcohol or other Prescription Drugs, the effect is multiplied. The nervous system slows and slows until breathing, heart rate, brain function all grind to a halt. Bens deadly dose, according to his girlfriend, was drinking beer and scotch throughout the day along with an unknown quantity of oxycodone. When his blood alcohol level was tested, it registered 0. 04. Thats relatively low, less than half the legal limit. Heres the implication it may not take much alcohol to tip the balance toward death. Ben fell asleep in front of the tv, and, by the next morning, he had stopped breathing. Its almost what makes it even more frightening, that he went to sleep and he had no idea this was going to be his last night on earth. I mean, he had no idea that this was going to be it. It just seems so preventable and so stupid. It just didnt have to happen like this. It didnt have to be, you know, like that. You explained what happened to my friend to me in two sentences. If people get something that simple, that direct, then it almost doesnt matter how boozedup they get before they pop the pill. Theyll remember that. How are you . I first learned about ben guptas story when i got a phone call just after his death from former president bill clinton. Bens father vinod is an old friend of the clintons. Over the years, hes donated thousands of dollars to theirs and other democratic campaigns. And over time the families became close friends. Ben, a beautiful man with a beautiful life. Some people live four times as long and dont do as much good or bring as much joy. Why did you decide to call me . I called you in desperation. I wanted to know what to do. I just knew that somebody needed to do something, but thats why i called you. I thought you a, i knew youd care about it. And, b, i thought youd know something about it. I could tell in your voice that you were pretty broken up. What kind of kid was he . A light shined out of him. Thats all i can tell you. He grew up, he was big, strong, handsome, smart and wanted to make something of his life. He was industrious, but he was normal and liked to have a good time. I promise you that night he had no idea that he was turning out the lights. None. And if its true of him, its got to be true of a lot of other people. As soon as people hear that someone died of a Drug Overdose, they immediately have a perception of who that person was, what kind of life they led, their behaviors. Its not true in a lot of these people. No. Including ben. We all of us, the whole culture, we need to start thinking about this. This is crazy. Not a single, solitary one of these people has to die. President clinton said to me nobody thinks that taking an oxycontin and a few beers is a good idea, but you also dont think youre going to die. Yes. Do you think that was bens sort of state of mind . I know this is playing with fire a little bit, but im not going to die. I dont think that he knew that this could kill him. Vinod finds some solace from his sons death by funding programs that educate people about the dangers of misusing Prescription Drugs. And recently he made a 1 million pledge to the Clinton Global Initiative to support the former president s newfound passion about this issue. He said, i have been very fortunate, and my son is worth 1 million. Its still hard to talk about. It is. It is. Do you think it ever wont be . No. I think about him all the time. Like im in d. C. Today so i went walking on the gw campus looking for him. Looking for him. Yes. And i could feel him. I could feel him. Every day i just miss him. Every day. My girlfriend found me, dead already. I had been not breathing, no pulse, and i was turning blue. We use this board to compare Car Insurance rates side by side so you get the same coverage, often for less. Thats one smart board. What else does it do, reverse gravity . [ laughs ] [ laughs ] [ whooshing ] tell me about it. Why am i not going anywhere . You dont believe hard enough. A smarter way to shop around. Now thats progressive. Call or click today. [ grunting ] [ male announcer ] you build a reputation by not breaking down. Consider the silverado 1500 still the most dependable, longestlasting fullsize pickups on the road. And now weve also been recognized for lowest total cost of ownership based on important things, like depreciation, fuel, and maintenance costs. And now trade up to get a 2012 Chevy Silverado allstar edition with a total value of 9,000. From outstanding value to standing the test of time, chevy runs deep. When you take a closer look. At the best schools in the world. You see they all have something very interesting in common. They have teachers. With a deeper knowledge of their subjects. As a result, their students achieve at a higher level. Lets develop more stars in education. Lets invest in our teachers. So they can inspire our students. Lets solve this. It looks like he downed the 200s. In cities across the country, this scene plays out every day. I saw it myself on a ridealong with lieutenant john fisk of the seattle fire department. Person had three die laud id, two methadone. This patients dose, an antiseizure medication and a couple of powerful painkillers. He may have stockpiled some of his own and taken it afterwards. Its called stacking, prescription pills stacked on top of other pills, each one amplifying the previous ones effect. Id say it probably began about ten years ago. Dr. Steven anderson, an e. R. Doctor in Washington State, sees the end result of stacking virtually every time he goes to work. Ive taken two vicodin before, no problem. Ive taken a valium to sleep before. No problem. Ive had a couple of drinks before. No problem. But all of a sudden, you add all of those into the same scenario, and it adds up and causes the complications. Youre talking about, when you say stacking, sounds like it is making it exponentially worse. Exactly. Heres why. Pop a pain pill, and you get relief. At the same time, your breathing slows down. Even after the pain relief wears off, that slowed breathing persists, sometimes for hours. Now, if you pop another pain pill before its time, you depress the breathing even more. Some of the deadliest combinations, highdose painkillers stacked on other painkillers. Painkillers stacked with antianxiety medications. Or painkillers mixed with alcohol. Weve seen absolute skyrocketing of overdose deaths, and correlates directly with the number of prescriptions that are written. The problem, in part, is that here in the United States we are being flooded with painkillers. Consider this americans take 80 of the worlds painkillers. 80 . Distribution of morphine, the main ingredient in most popular painkillers, increased by 600 between 1997 and 2007. Pain couldnt have increased that much in ten years, but painkillers did. Its become a lucrative business, and with so many pills out there, theres no broad system in place for doctors and pharmacies to keep track of it all. And, again, every 19 minutes we see the consequence. And that doesnt even account for people like this man who came close, too close, to dying. Thankfully, he survived. And so did this man from virginia. My girlfriend found me, dead, not breathing, no pulse. His name is ben. He didnt want to give his last name. I took some. Now, listen closely. What he is describing is nearly dying after an overdose. I remember standing around feeling good, talking with someone and then thinking, i just need to sit down for a second. I was turning blue. I was gone in a minute. Id only had a few beers, and id also taken plenty of methadone at the same time. Methadone, which you may recognize as a treatment for heroin addicts, is also a popular painkiller prescribed by doctors. When he overdosed about four years ago, it was the first time ben had tried it. Do you remember the point when you started using Prescription Drugs . Well, originally, i had been prescribed them for an injury. I was on painkillers and muscle relaxers, and definitely even within that time there were probably a couple days when i took more than i was prescribed. Did you think about the safety at all . Its a classic statement, this isnt going to happen to me. Well, of course, everyone who it happens to said that at one point. And thats where the story of ben from virginia intersects with ben gupta, the law student, and thousands of other unwitting overdose victims, it wont happen to me. Its more realistic for someone like me who has a job to overdose because its amazing how little you need of a mix of alcohol and narcotics to overdose when your body is not used to it. How little are we talking about . I think it was maybe four or five beers and two or three shots, and that was it. A few beers, a couple of shots and some methadone. Exactly. He was at a party. He felt sleepy. And then he stopped breathing. Your girlfriend just happened to find you. Thankfully, yeah. If she hadnt found you . I wouldnt be here. Youd be dead. For sure. Definitely. I was dead when she found me. For ben, the story is going to sound familiar. It started with a prescription for shoulder pain. In fact, he, in part, fits the profile of an overdose victim. Typically, they are male. They are in their 40s and 50s. They started with a prescription. And three years later, they were dead. Between the time he got his pain prescription and then had his overdose, ben started to become dependent. Started out small, like, you know, vicodin and percocet, but then, of course, those dont work as well. You eventually some day try oxycontin. At your peak, how much were you taking . Eight to ten 80s in a day. And still functioning. Eight to ten 80s . Yeah. Theyre 10 to 15 times stronger than anything we used to have, and i dont think that people fully appreciate how strong those medicines are. And theyre longer and longer acting, and thats part of the problem, too. Another problem, these powerful painkillers were originally intended to treat end of life and cancer patients, but see, those patients didnt live very long so there wasnt longterm data on what they would do to ben or to me or, frankly, to most people who now take them. They are being prescribed for all sorts of chronic pain problems with no data to suggest high doses of powerful painkillers are either safe or effective over the long term. When did you start taking opiates . Dr. Jane ballantine is an anesthesiologist at the university of washington. You had very good physical therapists. Ten years ago, while treating patients on highdose painkillers, she found something surprising. Not only were those patients not getting pain relief but the painkillers were, in fact, doing something that could best be described as the opposite, making patients more sensitive to pain. Its called hyperalgesia. So more pain medications ultimately meant more pain, and that, of course, means, well, even more pain medications. Its easy to see the problem. The hyperalgesia was so obvious in those patients that you could, for example, see that they couldnt bear the sheet on them. Or any intravenous stick was abnormally painful to them. You said that this has essentially been 20 years of failed experiment and that not many people are sort of supporting this anymore except for the diehards and the pharmaceutical industry. I would never suggest that we shouldnt continue to prescribe for those that are really helped by opiates, people who have a real need, but the way we do it at the moment is actually harming more patients than it helps. Its the mcdonalds phenomenon. You can go to the Emergency Department and get your pain relieved immediately. Great power. Iconic design. Exhilarating performance. [ race announcer ] audi once again has created le mans history [ male announcer ] and once in a great while. All of the above. Take your seat in the incomparable audi a8. Take advantage of exceptional values on the audi a8 during the season of audi event. Bp has paid overthe people of bp twentythreeitment to the gulf. Billion dollars during the season of audi event. To help those affected and to cover cleanup costs. Today, the beaches and gulf are open, and many areas are reporting their best tourism seasons in years. And bps also committed to america. We support nearly 250,000 jobs and invest more here than anywhere else. Were working to fuel america for generations to come. Our commitment has never been stronger. [ male announcer ] the way it moves. The way it cleans. Everything about the oralb power brush is simply revolutionary. Oralb Power Brushes oscillate, rotate and even pulsate to gently loosen and break up that sticky plaque with more brush movements than manual brushes and even up to 50 more than leading Sonic Technology brushes for a superior clean. Oralb Power Brushes. Go to oralb. Com for the latest offers. Former president bill clintons familiarity with painkillers goes back to when he lived in the white house. Have you ever been prescribed a medication like this . Well, i did take some painkillers when i tore my 90 of my quadracep, but i tried to be very careful and i was in a lot of pain. And years after leaving the oval office, he would once again need pain pills. He says he and his doctors were cautious. After my heart surgery, you know, i hurt pretty bad for three weeks so i got some medicine, but i really tried to get off of it as quick as i could. And my doctors were really good about it, you know, telling me, take this if its killing you, but be careful. Poison center, this is rosie. Be careful. Its a warning that might prevent call after call pouring in here at the Washington Poison Center. Poison center, this is deborah. I wasnt getting pain relief and i took too many oxycodone. I took five 10milligram oxycodone and im feeling really shaky, lightheaded. Im just nervous. For the most part this hasnt been recognized as a National Phenomenon or a National Problem at all. Not recognized among the general population and also not recognized among the medical community . Exactly. They had no idea that this combination of medications could lead to their death, and in many cases their doctors dont recognize the risk to those patients. So how did we quietly become a country inundated with pain pills . Some believe it all began when pain was designated the fifth vital sign. When you talk about vital signs, typically someone gets their body temperature measured, their heart rate, their respiratory rate and their blood pressure. But there was always this push to say the fifth vital sign is pain. Never forget about asking someone about their pain. You think that fueled this or helped drive this . I do. I think physicians around the year 2000 started to get pushed to better manage pain. And the physicians in our culture, that means give out more medication. So pain becomes a vital sign. Laws are passed liberalizing the use of opioids for more than just cancer. Doctors prescribe the drugs for legitimate reasons but also for conditions that could be treated with much milder medications or therapy. The result . We proscribe enough pain pills to give every man, woman and child a dose every four hours for three weeks. Remember, 80 of the worlds opioids are used by americans. 80 . Does that surprise you . I didnt know that. No. Is that a cultural problem . Yes, it is cultural. People think, oh, i have got a headache, my elbow is or sore whatever. I dont want to minimize it. There are a lot of people who live courageous lives in constant pain, but theres no question since we represent 5 of the worlds population we have no business popping as many pills as we do. Why is this, do you think, such a distinct american phenomenon . We like things to happen quickly and instantaneously. Its the mcdonalds phenomenon. You can drive through and get your food immediately. The same thing, you can go to the Emergency Department and get your pain relived immediately. Immediate relief but very little education to the dangers. And lots of questions about the longterm use of opioids. A concern i put to john castillano. He is president and ceo of the pharmaceutical research and manufacturers of america, which represents and lobbies on behalf of drug manufacturers. Do you know of any studies that actually show people taking narcotics for longer periods of time other than what would be associated with end of life care or terminal cancer and having positive, consistent results . We do know the feedback we get from patients and physicians, and that is where patients are able to manage pain with their physician, they are able to manage their chronic and acute pain, they have better lifestyles. They have a more robust life. But remember, there is no good Scientific Data on the effects of longterm use of highdose opioids. Do you think we prescribe too many pain medications in this country . I cant answer that. That has to be a decision between patients and their doctors. Are these medications addictive or not . Narcotics . Everything i know is that they are if theyre misused. If they are used properly, they are not. Problem is misuse is rampant. In 2010, about 12 million americans reported using painkillers without a prescription or medical need. And that number, every 19 minutes someone died. The challenge, of course, is to find ways to stop misuse, addiction and death without cutting off a lifeline. Life starts to lose some of its meaning when youre in chronic pain. I have seen her curled up in a fetal position for hours. Hey, look a shooting star make a wish i wish we could lie here forever. I wish this test drive was over, so we could head back to the dealership. [ male announcer ] its practically yours. Test drive but we still need your signature. Volkswagen sign then drive is back. And its never been easier to get a jetta. Thats the power of german engineering. Get 0 down, 0 due at signing, 0 deposit, and 0 first months payment on any new volkswagen. Visit vwdealer. Com today. On any new volkswagen. With two times the points on dining in restaurants, . You may find yourself asking why not, a lot. Chase sapphire preferred. Theres more to enjoy. 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Get a droid razr m by motorola for 49. 99. [ male announcer ] jill and her mouth have lived a great life. But she has some dental issues shes not happy about. So i introduced jill to crest prohealth for life. Selected for people over 50. Prohealth for life is a toothpaste that defends against tender, inflamed gums, sensitivity and weak enamel. Conditions people over 50 experience. Crest prohealth for life. So jill can keep living the good life. Crest. Life opens up when you do. Which was the most effective tool that weve offered you . Methadone. Hi, welcome back. Can you just tell me about when your pain started. Well, it actually started after i had my stroke. Hi, my name is eric hall. The university of Washington Center for pain relief is busier than ever. Most of my pain comes from laying down at night. Every single day we see anywhere between 250 to 300 patients who suffer from acute, postoperative, cancer, and chronic pain. This is my favorite. Dr. Alex kahana is chief of Pain Medicine at the university of washington. It is all for the patient. This is not a clinic with doctors offices, it is for patients. He designed the center for pain relief, he says, to be a welcoming, supportive environment for patients who want to live normal lives. To make it, you know, human, to make it tender, to make it hospitable. When people ask me, is it hard . No, its not hard. Its a privilege to do that. It really gets to you, doesnt it . Yeah. Youre taking more than we now consider a safe dose. Many of these patients are here because some physicians and legislators are trying to curb Washington States Prescription Drug overdose problem. I think this is the worst manmade epidemic in history. Dr. Gary franklin is medical director for the state of washingtons department of labor and industries. When is the first time this even became an issue that you had noticed . By 2001, our claims managers were sending me cases of injured workers who had had a lowback sprain and who were dead three years later from an unintentional overdose of prescribed opioids. It was the saddest thing id ever seen. So he took action, helping write guidelines that this year became state law. It applies to noncancer chronic pain patients. It mandates prescriber education, treatment plans called pain contracts between physicians and patients, and tracking of opioid use. If states dont follow new laws reflecting best practices and universal precautions so opioids can be used safely and effectively, this will never turn around. The Washington State law does have its share of critics, many of whom are patients dealing with pain right now. They are particularly concerned about one provision. It requires that if a physician wants to provide a daily dose of an opiate above a certain amount, he or she must First Consult with a pain specialist. Problem is there arent enough specialists. There are not enough pain docs in the world to take care of all the patients in king county, let alone seattle. Today on a scale of zero to ten what would you rate your pain as . That is why the center for pain relief is inundated with referrals. Valerie edwards from sitka, alaska. Its also why it organizes socalled telepain conferences in which the centers experts provide advice to physicians. A 33yearold woman with joint pain, and you have got questions about, i think, diagnosis and some treatment strategies. Many of whom are practicing in remote location. Her primary concern is just severe joint pain. Yesterday we had 50 dialins all over the country from sitka, alaska, all the way to rochester, new york. Does she actually have swelling that you can see in her hands . One of the biggest fears about the new law is that doctors, unhappy with its requirements, will stop accepting or treating legitimate pain patients, that those with chronic conditions will be left without the care and the medications they need. Life starts to lose some of its meaning when youre in chronic pain. I have seen her curled up in the fetal position for hours, even crying at times. In tacoma, washington, christie and burt goler, husband and wife, are both in pain, his caused by multiple sclerosis. My leg is constantly being electrocuted from the inside out. Hers caused by a car accident 16 years ago. I was in a big old 77 chevrolet station wagon, bent it in half. I looked in my Rearview Mirror and i could actually see the woman putting mascara on, and i knew i was in trouble. You are slowing down or stopping at the light. I was at a complete stop. I just saw her barrelling toward me. I could see she wasnt even looking at the light. She was putting on mascara . Yes. That i could see, and she just plowed right into me. Unfortunately to this day i still have back issues because of it. Are you in pain right now . I am. Yeah. The pain medications make a huge difference, thank goodness. Without them, i dont think i would be able to work a fulltime job. But she says after the new state law passed no doctor would treat her. How hard has it been to find doctors who will give you the pain medications you want . Since this law passed, its been incredibly difficult. I ended up calling multiple clinics. I would call and say first words out of their mouth, if you want pain medication, forget about it, were done. Christie believes that doctors are turning away patients because they see prescribing any pain medication as a risk. They see it as a potential violation of the law. Eventually she did get appointments and took along her medical records to prove her need for painkillers. A lot of them didnt even look at them and were not inclined to prescribe me the medications i was on. I just didnt think i could handle one more doctors visit and feeling like im being attacked and being treated as a liar. Did these doctors essentially treat you like a drug addict . It felt that way. It was very difficult, and at a certain point i almost gave up. Christie says her experience is not unique because shes a lawyer whose work includes cases of accidents and injuries. Ive had numerous clients contact me, saying, i cant find a doctor, im in so much pain. Has this left some patients in the lurch, made it harder for some patients to find doctors who will treat them . I think yes, in all honesty. The university of washington always saw patients that the Community Felt uncomfortable seeing. Thats part of our mission. But dr. Kahana and dr. Franklin believe the guidelines, First Published in 2007 as voluntary, are reversing the overdose epidemic in their state. Between 2008 and 2010, we saw about a 20 decline in the state in the number of deaths. She says that her lowback pain is at a zero intensity. Its working. Theres no question. No, not in my mind at least. So this helps me understand that were on the right track. Possible solutions for Washington State. But what about the rest of the country . Youre the chief of explaining things. What do you tell the American People about this . Yep. The longer you stay with us, the more you save. And when you switch from another company to us, we even reward you for the time you spent there. Genius. Yeah, genius. You guys must have your own loyalty program, right . Well, we have something. Show her, tom. Huh . You should see november oh, yeah . Giving you more. Now thats progressive. Call or click today. Trying to find a better job can likbe frustrating. Gs, so at university of phoenix were working with a growing list of almost two thousand Corporate Partners Companies Like microsoft, American Red Cross and adobe to create options for you. Not only that, were using what we learn from these partners to shape our curriculum, so that when you find the job you want youll be a perfect fit. Lets get to work. [ male announcer ] while youre getting ready for the holidays, were getting ready for you. Tis the season. For food, for family, and now, something extra for you. As we speak, someone died right now from an overdose, and thats something that has to change. Dr. Kahana at the university of Washington Center for pain relief says that change starts with a simple first step, spend time and listen to patients. How would you best describe this place . A place where we can actually sit and listen and understand what patients have. I thought, ill never get out of this. It was 20 years that i had pain. Dr. Kahana believes better treatment and fewer unnecessary prescriptions will come from understanding a patients entire life experience. You have to start capturing the story of patients in a way that you can extract it and analyze it. This is your home screen. At the center for pain relief, they do this through a system they call pain tracker. It starts with patients filling out a questionnaire before the appointment. I see a twopage report. I say, oh, mr. Smith, i see you have back pain for 12 years since you fell off a horse. I see youre sad. Youre worried. And drinking maybe is a problem. And you say, oh, my god, someone who finally understands whats going on. And patients can even see the results tracked over time. But the question is, is there really time for these types of indepth conversations in Emergency Rooms . You guys are busy. Do you have time to be drilling down on pain issues when youre dealing with all the things e. R. S deal with . It may not be any longer than a fiveminute, honest sitdown conversation, if we are really out there to save lives this is something we have to take the extra five minutes for. Dr. Anderson walked me around a hospital in tacoma, washington. One of the first things youll notice here and every e. R. In the state is a reminder for patients of restrictions on how much pain medication they can be prescribed. Not only are we all playing by the same rules, we are also now all communicating with one another. This all happens through a statewide database. It provides a patients history of visits to the Emergency Departments in the last five years as well as other vital information. In some cases, it might even show care guidelines, like this particular physician has said no narcotics should be issued through the Emergency Department because theyre on a Pain Management contract. If Something Like this didnt exist, the scenario is somebody could come to one emergency room, possibly get a prescription for pain medication and maybe even the same day go to another emergency room and get a prescription for pain medication. That could happen. Thats happened for years. So pharmacies here also share data. We now have a Prescription Monitoring Program through every pharmacy in the state of washington that allows me to see every restricted medication thats been written in the last year for this patient. There are other states with similar databases, but theyre not all connected. And an effort is well under way to try to create a National Information exchange with the support of the pharmaceutical industry. Were partnering with the National Association of pharmaceutical boards on the creation of the interconnect program, which will be a National Database so a prescribing physician can know what an individual patients history is. Congress has considered creating a similar federal system to track prescriptions, but that effort has been stuck in legislative limbo. We are going to have to make a decision to save ourselves, to save our families. Battling this overdose epidemic is a daunting challenge. Do you think that its fixable . Sure. We like our pain pills in this country. It is fixable. I think now just bringing this out will have a lot of corrective impact. Nobody is suggesting that we stop prescribing narcotics. They allow so many people to function who otherwise would be crippled by pain. For them, this medicine is an absolute lifeline. But all of us need to take note. Dont take pills that arent prescribed for you. Dont combine pills with alcohol. And never take more than the prescribed dose. Youre the chief of explaining things. What do you tell the American People about this . I would say were going to start a National Conversation about this, but you need to have one in your family. You need to have one in your place of worship. You need to have a one in your place of work. You need to make sure your kids talk about it in school