Recent editorials from West Virginia newspapers:
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April 2
The Charleston Gazette on opioid malpractice:
The tragedy of Charleston’s Jessica Grubb spotlights an ugly flaw in medical practice: Too many doctors blindly hand out painkiller prescriptions without checking whether patients are addicts on the brink of fatal overdoses, and even when patients repeatedly warn doctors of the danger.
Jessica’s story has become a national example cited by President Obama. After fighting painkiller and heroin addiction for seven years, she seemed to be victorious. But a hip infection required surgery. Her parents warned doctors and nurses that she mustn’t be given opioids - but a discharging physician didn’t get the word, and sent her home with 50 oxycodone. Eight pills took her life.
While readers condole with the Grubb family, Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, is considering a “Jessie’s law” to require medical records to display prominent warnings of patients’ addiction, to make all professionals aware of opioid risks. We hope he succeeds with this safeguard.
This month, the Centers for Disease Control mandated that U.S. doctors should cease massive automatic use of painkillers. Only a week of pills is sufficient for most pain, the CDC said, but physicians usually prescribe a month’s supply - leading to addiction and illegal street sales. The CDC’s move is another good step.
But what of the doctors themselves?
Dr. Carl Sullivan, who runs the addiction program at WVU, told the Gazette-Mail’s David Gutman that tragedies like Jessie’s happen all the time, or nearly happen.
Just Monday morning he said he received a call from a furious patient in recovery who had been given an opioid prescription after having teeth removed, despite having explained her medical history to the doctor.
“They don’t really get it, so even when a patient tells and they tell and tell, some doctors just don’t, they just don’t know anything at all about it,” Sullivan said. “And so they revert back to what they know, which is the wrong things,” Sullivan said. “I just don’t think they get it when a patient tells them ’I’m an opioid addict.’ I don’t think they know what that really means.”
This is bad medicine, and it is systemic.
President Obama has announced that more than 60 medical schools, including West Virginia and Marshall universities, have agreed to instruct medical students about opioid prescribing, another good step.
What of doctors who are already practicing?
Medical professionals themselves must get serious within their own organizations and take responsibility. They must educate their members about the disease of addiction until they know how serious it is when a patient says, “I cannot have that drug.”
The story of Charleston’s Jessica Grubb is heartbreaking. We hope it impels doctors to reform their practice across America.
Online:
https://www.wvgazettemail.com/
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April 5
The Inter Mountain on concealed weapon changes:
Elkins Rotarians and, it seems, Randolph County Sheriff Mark T. Brady have concerns about a new law that allows West Virginians to carry any kind of concealed weapon without a permit.
Frankly, we don’t blame them.
We don’t believe in cherry picking, particularly where Constitutional rights are concerned. But when it comes to the Second Amendment right to bear arms, we’re confused as to what was broken and in need of fixing in West Virginia.
Mountaineers have a long history of exercising their rights under the Second Amendment, whether we carry for hunting and outdoor recreational purposes, or hold conceal carry permits through our local sheriff’s departments.
We’re just not sure if the Legislature’s well-intended effort with HB 4145 actually makes things better.
The right to bear arms is not exclusive of responsibility. Anyone who carries a concealed weapon knows this.
In his discussion with the local Rotary Club on Monday, Brady expressed concern over the lack of a vetting process and background investigation for individuals who carry a concealed weapon, whether it’s a gun or a tomahawk.
“It’s just any person who travels to the state of West Virginia can now possess a concealed weapon,” he said.
Under the current law, individuals must apply for a permit to carry a concealed weapon. The process involves an application, a fee, confirmation of citizenship and a background investigation. All of this is handled by our county sheriffs.
We don’t think these are unreasonable measures, and they certainly have never stopped eligible individuals from exercising their rights.
Even law enforcement officials who are, generally speaking, the most vocal advocates of the Second Amendment are uncertain of the new law. It was vetoed by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, which was, in turn, overridden by the Legislature.
By removing the application process, the Legislature has removed the checks and balances put in place to help ensure responsibility in gun ownership.
And we’re just not sure why our representatives would do this in the first place. Was it to appease the National Rifle Association? If so, at what point does an advocacy group become a bully?
We can only hope the decision doesn’t have fatal consequences.
Online:
https://www.theintermountain.com/
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April 5
The Intelligencer on disaster aid spending:
Perhaps if local and state governments had just been less thrifty in their response to the massive snowstorm that hit much of West Virginia in January, Uncle Sam would have been more charitable toward us.
State officials had sought disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help defray what government spent to help Mountain State residents cope with the storm and to recover from it. But this week it was revealed FEMA has turned the state down.
It seems that West Virginia officials were able to trace only about $1.3 million in local and state spending related to the storm. FEMA requires $2.7 million before disaster relief funds can be considered.
Obviously, the federal agency has to enforce some requirements for disaster aid. Washington’s resources are limited, after all, though one perusing readily available reports on government waste might not understand that.
Saying no to assistance simply because local and state governments did not spend enough seems like an open invitation for the kind of rampant waste seen often in disaster relief programs in other states, however.
FEMA should reconsider its guidelines - perhaps to provide some incentive for frugality such as that we insist on in West Virginia.
Online:
https://www.theintelligencer.net/
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