John T. Farrar, a pain specialist at the University of Pennsylvania and a consultant to the FDA advisory panel on analgesics, said taking away a doctor's ability to call in a hydrocodone prescription would have serious consequences for patient care.
"There's really no substitute that doctors would be allowed to call in," Farrar said. "That means many patients would probably be getting other Schedule III drugs that are less effective for their pain, while drug abusers will just find another source."
Opiates are safe and effective treatment for chronic pain. Contrary to common fears, studies show that a patient taking an opiate --for example, oxycontin-- will not develop an addiction. This is true even if the person has a history of substances abuse. The reason is simple: the drug acts on



