WASHINGTON, D.C. April 28, 2014 The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) submitted comments to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) today in opposition to the agency 's proposal to restrict access to hydrocodone combination products (HCPs). Changing the classification of these pain medications would increase controls over the drugs and make HCPs more difficult for patients to obtain.
While ACS CAN agrees that the illegal use and abuse of prescription painkillers is a serious public health issue that needs to be addressed, tighter restrictions on doctors who prescribe these medications could deny millions of Americans with serious illnesses like cancer timely appropriate access to the pain medications that they need to participate in daily activities during treatment, and often times many years after treatment. Furthermore, evidence does not demonstrate that the proposal to place greater restrictions on access to these medications would have a significant impact on the issue of abuse.
We strongly urge cautious regulatory action to avoid unintended consequences that impede the access of patients with legitimate need for the therapies that appropriately and effectively ease their suffering, the comments stated.
The DEA closed the comment period on April 28, and will now review all comments before submitting a final rule.
For full text of the comments, visit:æhttp://bit.ly/PQQEW4
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visitæwww.fightcancer.org.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Lauren Walens or Steven Weiss
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Phone: (202) 661-5763 or (202) 661-5711
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
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