Congressman Holds Roundtable Discussion on Pain Clinics

Congressman Kevin Brady is working to unify the effort to deal with the growing number of pain clinics in Southeast Texas.

Brady invited leaders from state and federal agencies to a roundtable discussion Monday to examine bills aimed at dealing with the clinics.

Those involved agree much more needs to be done to reduce the problem.

"It's growing and it's a deadly problem," said Congressman Brady. "All the agencies need to work together to close these clinics down."

People like Amanda Montagne. She grew up in Orange and works for State Senator Tommy Williams, who sponsored the new law to expand prescription tracking.

"When someone calls and says a pain management clinic popped up on 16th Street next to the Jack-in-the-Box, I know exactly where they're talking about," said Montagne. "I can see how that's bad for business and the local economy."

Orange County Sheriff Mike White says he was shocked by the number of people dying from prescription drug overdoses in Orange County.

"They don't understand," said Sheriff White. "They think it's a just a prescription drug that doctors prescribe. Yeah, but it kills you. They're very addictive, especially with the hydrocodone. You're dead."

He testified in Austin in support of a law to expand the state's prescription drug tracking laws.

"We have a system in Texas that works," said Senator Williams. "If we make changes to it, I want them to be incremental."

The tracking system will red-flag doctors, pharmacies and patients with excessive prescriptions, but the state does not have a law that makes it illegal to go from doctor to doctor."

"With a doctor shopping bill, it will be a felony to do that," said Calcasieu Parish District Attorney John Derosier.

He has worked with Texas leaders to take the next legislative step and make doctor shopping illegal in Texas.

But the Texas legislature won't meet again until January 2009. Williams says in the meantime, the public needs to spotlight illegitimate doctors and put pressure on the clinics.

"Southeast Texas is the supply part of the equation," said Derosier. "Louisiana is the consumer creating the demand. We have to eliminate the supply and demand to shut out the problem."

A daunting task easier said than done, but everyone here agrees Monday's meeting is a good first step.