Prescription pain medications: frequently asked questions and answers for health care professionals, and law enforcement personnel.

A consensus document on frequently asked questions, answers and references relating to the use and abuse o f prescription analgesics was released to the public in August 2004 by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Last Acts Partnership, and the Pain & Policies Study Group of the University of Wisconsin. This document provides clear answers to common questions and is intended for primary care clinicians and drug enforcement and regulatory personnel. It clearly states that police and regulatory personnel should not interfere with medical practice and that clinicians have an obligation to practice in a legal manner. Topics addressed include risk assessment, how opioid treatment works, patient behavior, abuse, addiction, rules and laws, and clear descriptions of how and why the DEA may prosecute a clinician.