@EVargasTV I listened to your podcast re: Purdue Pharma. They were wrong and should make amends in some way. Unfortunately, as I know has been pointed out to you, those who suffer with chronic illness and resulting pain who depend on similar medication for some level of...

...quality of life have been on the receiving end of the backlash against the use of opioid pain medication even for those who have exhausted all other alternatives, who are monitored extremely closely, who adhere to very stringent physician-patient contract stipulations...

...and who have demonstrated improved quality of life as a result of this treatment are being refused said treatment while being painted with the same broad brush as those who battle addiction and use drugs without a diagnosed, documented medical purpose.

As a Patient Advocate in the state of New Hampshire and a member of the NH Pain Collaborative I was intimately involved in the writing of new legislation recently signed into law by Governor Sununu. This legislation serves to support the treatment of the chronically ill as...

...well as the physicians who provide said treatment. Our bill, signed by Governor Sununu in July of 2019, has been touted as “landmark” legislation and many other states are now looking to use it as a basis for legislation in their own state. I truly hope you will follow...

...up your discussion of Purdue Pharma, the Sackler family, and those who have suffered, in part, as a result of their exaggerated claims relative to the addictive nature of OxyContin, with a similar discussion of those who are quickly replacing those dealing with addiction...

...as the new “community” stigmatized by elected officials, regulatory boards, law enforcement and society at large - the chronically ill who have benefited greatly by a closely managed and monitored regimen of opioid pain medication therapy. This “community”, now losing...

...access to these vital and safe medications, when used as prescribed, in far too many cases are being forced to choose between a) a life replete with chronic pain, b) illicit street drugs as a high risk source of pain relief or c) suicide. As a society we are finally...

...beginning to recognize the importance of providing treatment for those suffering with addiction and treating them with a level of dignity which was not to be found even just a decade ago. We must not repeat the mistakes of our past by now refusing treatment and an...

...acknowledgment of dignity and compassion for those suffering with chronic illness and resulting pain. Again, I truly hope you continue your research and look at the “other side” of this issue. I will comment with a link to the New Hampshire bill which is now law.

I apologize. I referred to Governor Sununu signing our bill into law in July 2019. It was actually July 2020, just several months ago.

Respectfully,
Bill Murphy
New Hampshire Pain Collaborative

New Hampshire House Bill 1639, Sections 39:18, 39:19 - now in the NH Controlled Drug Act - see attached images for these sections of HB1639