The Opioid Crisis: What Are Pill Mills?

In late October of this year, President Trump declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency. Approximately 90 Americans die every day from opiate overdoses. This number includes prescription drugs. This is a quadruple jump in numbers since 1999. Some people may get their pills via illegal means, but some get opioid painkillers directly from a doctor.

Unfortunately, some doctors are unscrupulous and will overprescribe or turn a blind eye to prescribing to those they know may be addicted. In addition to being extremely dangerous, it is also illegal and an act of medical malpractice.

Pain treatment or pill mill?

Authorities are cracking down more and more on so-called “pill mills,” which are usually a front for a doctor to prescribe opioids to patients who generally do not need them. Doctors operating pill mills can be charged criminally, they can be liable for medical malpractice, and they can lose their medical licenses.

Earlier this year, a doctor was charged with 74 counts of malpractice after prescribing increasing dosages of opiate painkillers to 18 patients. One of those patients died. Dr. Robert Rand pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter and distributing a controlled substance. For some perspective, he prescribed more than 23,000 pills to a single patient.

As the opioid crisis worsens, it is becoming a major issue in medical malpractice cases. Twenty-four percent of malpractice cases in 2016 involved an opioid event. Experts believe a major part of the problem is that healthcare professionals are not monitoring or managing patients on these types of drugs in the right ways, if at all. Further, with the time constraints in the medical community, sometimes doctors simply do not have enough time to educate and inform their patients on the best and most responsible ways to handle their medication. It is also difficult to prevent patients from “doctor shopping,” due to all the unconnected medical record systems.

Holding the responsible accountable

Back in June of this year, three Tennessee prosecutors filed a lawsuit against several drug manufacturers and a pill mill after a baby was born dependent on opioid drugs. Tennessee has the second highest rate of opioid prescription in the country, only behind Virginia. The lawsuit aims to end the overprescribing of painkillers and the exploding growth of pain clinics in the state.

The battle against addictive, opioid painkillers may be a long one. Fortunately, our own Thomas Greer is prepared for that fight. He is ready to stand up to Big Pharma and corrupt doctors and say, “enough is enough.”

The attorneys at Bailey & Greer, PLLC are here to help. We advocate for you and your family and provide legal advice you can trust. We serve clients throughout Tennessee and have offices in Memphis and Jackson. Please call us today at 901-680-9777 or complete our contact form to schedule a consultation.