Letter to the Editor – Bloomberg
Dear Editor:
Sydney P. Freeberg’s article “Drug Users Turn Death Dealers…” published by Bloomberg News is misleading and biased. CRC Health provided Ms. Freedberg and Bloomberg with information and data illustrating our commitment to the highest standards of care, including our clinical quality management process, use of evidence-based treatment interventions, and diversion control practices. None of these points found their way into your article which also sadly failed to mention the thousands of patients who safely rely on take-home medication to manage their disease and maintain normal daily lives.
Methadone treatment clinics are among the most regulated healthcare service in the country with oversight by each state, CSAT, the DEA, and CARF accreditation. The reality is that the addiction treatment field is increasingly dealing with more medically complex and highly compromised patients. And yet this Bloomberg article fails to mention the SAMHSA and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ report Methadone-Associated Mortality: Report of a National Assessment that concluded “methadone tablets and/or diskettes that have become available through channels other than OTPs [clinics] are most likely the central factor in recent increases in methadone-associated mortality.” The report found a “correlation between increased pharmacy distribution of methadone tablets for pain management and increased problems with methadone, including methadone-associated deaths.” Evidence indicates that the increased use of methadone to treat pain, not opiate treatment programs like those which CRC operates, is the major reason for increased methadone-related deaths.
Diversion or misuse of take-home methadone is specifically prohibited by CRC clinic policy, and this is clearly communicated to all patients, and was communicated to Ms. Freedberg. Given our focus on ensuring patient compliance around the use of these medications, violation of clinic policy is grounds for restriction of privileges up to and including discharge from treatment.
It is unfortunate that Bloomberg and Ms. Freedberg seemingly began the reporting of this story some months ago with a predetermined and accusatory approach. Numerous officials, agencies and employees past and present have reported sharing positive testimonials only to have those comments turned into a search for something negative. These third-party commendations were noticeably absent from your piece.
Most unfortunate is that your article disregards the fact that the overwhelming number of our 30,000 daily patients experience significant success, and ignores positive commentary and outcomes in exchange for sensational headlines as has been done before (and as detailed in this company statement here or http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/handful-of-biased-journalists-threaten-treatment-industrys-good-work-says-crc-health-group-nations-largest-behavioral-and-addiction-treatment-provider-171636611.html ). By using this platform to criticize – and point fingers in the wrong direction – you have missed an opportunity to advocate for increased treatment options to help save the lives of the 24 million Americans who currently suffer from the chronic brain disease of addiction but are not receiving treatment. Treatment works and saves lives; this is what we do. Sadly your article makes that task more difficult.
Sincerely,
Philip Herschman, Ph.D.
Chief Clinical Officer
CRC Health Group