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Ethical, Legal, and Professional Challenges Posed By “Controlled Medication Seekers” to Healthcare Providers, Part 2

Abstract

Abuse and diversion of controlled prescription medications is a large and growing problem in the U.S. The first of this two part paper discussed the pragmatic, ethical, and legal issues that challenge healthcare professionals who must care for someone suspected or confirmed to be using deception to obtain controlled medications because of addiction to the medication, for resale, recreational use, or other reasons not sanctioned by the medical profession. The second part will focus on the pragmatic, legal, and especially ethical aspects of identifying and caring of patients who are suspected of controlled medication seeking behavior in the acute care setting. It is the hope of the author that this paper will be a catalyst for deeper and wider discussions and research on this difficult, multifaceted, and widespread healthcare issue.