Abstract
Objectives. The objectives of this medico-legal case report are the following: 1) To present an example of a medico-legal problem that developed as a result of reports of alleged opioid addiction that resulted in a decision to taper a chronic pain patient (CPP) from opioids; 2) To present both the plaintiff's and defendant's expert witness opinions as to if and how the care of that patient fell below the "standard of medical care"; and 3) Based on these opinions, to develop some recommendations on how, in the future, pain medicine physicians and other physicians should proceed in similar circumstances in order to avoid allegations of breach of "standard of medical care." Design. Case Report Setting. Regional Hospital Pain Clinic Patient. CPP Interventions. Opioid tapering because of aberrant drug-related behaviors (addictive behaviors). Results. During the tapering process, the CPP committed suicide. This had medico-legal consequences. Expert witnesses could not rule out the possibility of pseudoaddiction in this CPP. Conclusion. Further research into the concept of pseudoaddiction is required.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 135-142 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Pain Medicine |
| Volume | 3 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 26 2002 |
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Keywords
- Aberrant drug-related behaviors
- Addiction
- Addictive behaviors
- Drug toxicology screens
- Expert witness
- Medico-legal
- Pseudoaddiction
- Standards of medical care
- Suicide
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Neurology
Cite this
Medico-legal rounds : Medico-legal issues and breaches of "standards of medical care" in opioid tapering for alleged opioid addiction. / Fishbain, David A.
In: Pain Medicine, Vol. 3, No. 2, 26.08.2002, p. 135-142.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Medico-legal rounds
T2 - Medico-legal issues and breaches of "standards of medical care" in opioid tapering for alleged opioid addiction
AU - Fishbain, David A
PY - 2002/8/26
Y1 - 2002/8/26
N2 - Objectives. The objectives of this medico-legal case report are the following: 1) To present an example of a medico-legal problem that developed as a result of reports of alleged opioid addiction that resulted in a decision to taper a chronic pain patient (CPP) from opioids; 2) To present both the plaintiff's and defendant's expert witness opinions as to if and how the care of that patient fell below the "standard of medical care"; and 3) Based on these opinions, to develop some recommendations on how, in the future, pain medicine physicians and other physicians should proceed in similar circumstances in order to avoid allegations of breach of "standard of medical care." Design. Case Report Setting. Regional Hospital Pain Clinic Patient. CPP Interventions. Opioid tapering because of aberrant drug-related behaviors (addictive behaviors). Results. During the tapering process, the CPP committed suicide. This had medico-legal consequences. Expert witnesses could not rule out the possibility of pseudoaddiction in this CPP. Conclusion. Further research into the concept of pseudoaddiction is required.
AB - Objectives. The objectives of this medico-legal case report are the following: 1) To present an example of a medico-legal problem that developed as a result of reports of alleged opioid addiction that resulted in a decision to taper a chronic pain patient (CPP) from opioids; 2) To present both the plaintiff's and defendant's expert witness opinions as to if and how the care of that patient fell below the "standard of medical care"; and 3) Based on these opinions, to develop some recommendations on how, in the future, pain medicine physicians and other physicians should proceed in similar circumstances in order to avoid allegations of breach of "standard of medical care." Design. Case Report Setting. Regional Hospital Pain Clinic Patient. CPP Interventions. Opioid tapering because of aberrant drug-related behaviors (addictive behaviors). Results. During the tapering process, the CPP committed suicide. This had medico-legal consequences. Expert witnesses could not rule out the possibility of pseudoaddiction in this CPP. Conclusion. Further research into the concept of pseudoaddiction is required.
KW - Aberrant drug-related behaviors
KW - Addiction
KW - Addictive behaviors
KW - Drug toxicology screens
KW - Expert witness
KW - Medico-legal
KW - Pseudoaddiction
KW - Standards of medical care
KW - Suicide
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U2 - 10.1046/j.1526-4637.2002.02013.x
DO - 10.1046/j.1526-4637.2002.02013.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 15102161
AN - SCOPUS:0036347223
VL - 3
SP - 135
EP - 142
JO - Pain Medicine
JF - Pain Medicine
SN - 1526-2375
IS - 2
ER -