[Pharmwaste] FDA letter and Vermont Gov calling for reduced rx.

[Catherine Zimmer]

Thanks Ed, and here we have it, FDA blamed for excess opiates and a governor
calling for source reduction.  Again, we need to include this language in
the letter to FDA.  

 

Very truly yours,

 

Catherine Zimmer, MS, BSMT

Zimmer Environmental Improvement, LLC

Reducing and managing healthcare related waste and costs for fifteen years.


St. Paul, MN 

Ph:  651.645.7509

 <mailto:zenllc at usfamily.net> zenllc at usfamily.net

 

From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us
[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Ed Gottlieb
Sent: Friday, January 08, 2016 8:11 AM
To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: [Pharmwaste] Vermont Govenor Calls for Prescription Limits,
Increased Take Back

 


Remarks of Governor Peter Shumlin
State House, Montpelier, January 7, 2016


Excerpt from Governor Shumlin's State of the State speech, [
http://www.2016stateofthestate.com/speech ]:

.        Second, let's go after the source that led us into this mess in the
first place. It's difficult for me to find words that adequately express my
frustrations but I can find the three letters that are at the root of the
problem: F.D.A. In the 1990s, the F.D.A. approved OxyContin, which lit the
match that ignited America's opiate and heroin addiction crisis. In 2010, we
prescribed enough OxyContin to keep every adult in America high for an
entire month; by 2012 we issued enough prescriptions to give every American
adult their own personal bottle of pills. On television, Americans now see
commercials for drugs whose sole purpose is to help relieve side effects
from taking opiates - in other words there are now F.D.A. approved drugs to
help you take more F.D.A. approved opiates. A few years ago, the F.D.A.
approved Zohydro, which is OxyContin on steroids, against the recommendation
of their own advisory committee. Just a few months ago, the F.D.A. approved
OxyContin for kids. You can't make this stuff up. The $11 billion-dollar a
year opiate industry in America knows no shame. Compassionate pain
management has been transformed by big PHRMA into drug promotion and profit.
Until America is willing to have an honest conversation about the way we are
dealing with pain our challenges will continue. In light of this, I am
implementing the following:

o   First, we are putting an end to the system where doctors, dentists, and
health care providers send patients home with 80 or 90 pills in their
pocket. I am proposing a new system, where a maximum of 10 pills will be the
limit for minor procedures. We're also looking at reasonable limits for more
major procedures that provide pain relief without filling up our medicine
cabinets with unused opiates. That's just Vermont common sense.

 

o   Second, we are partnering with pharmacies and local communities to
expand drug take back programs, to get rid of Vermont's Most Dangerous
Leftovers.

 

o   Third, we are partnering with neighboring states to upgrade the
Prescription Monitoring System to prevent addicts from crossing state
borders to go pill shopping.  

I ask for your support in these actions.

 

Ed Gottlieb
Chair, Coalition for Safe Medication Disposal

Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator

Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility
525 3rd Street

Ithaca, NY  14850

(607) 273-8381

fax: (607) 273-8433

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