There has been a lot of buzz in the news lately about the rescheduling of hydrocodone containing products (HCPs) from schedule III to schedule II, and the resulting impact on pharmacists, prescribers, and patients. I work for a large integrated health system whose newly installed leader recently described the importance of choosing the hard right over the easy wrong. Our health system sees many patients with very severe wounds. We see patients whose valorous service warrants aggressive pain management to provide the most medically compassionate care available.

With that at the forefront of my mind, I personally applaud the rescheduling of hydrocodone products. As a nation, our patients in pain deserve more than a steady flow of analgesia. Perhaps the rescheduling will encourage a more holistic and systematic approach to appropriate pain management.

I will consider the welfare of humanity and relief of suffering my primary concerns.

Certainly the rescheduling will cause onerous compliance issues and will inadvertently lead to some patients having interruptions in their pain relief.

I will apply my knowledge, experience, and skills to the best of my ability to assure optimal outcomes for my patients.

There is overwhelming evidence that society is flooded with prescription narcotic drug abuse.  Prescription opioids fill our emergency rooms and feed serious chronic conditions like sleep apnea and hypogonadism. Rescheduling HCPs is not the panacea, but it is an important step.

I will embrace and advocate changes that improve patient care.

Our professional societies and those of other medical professions and patient groups offered their advice for how to best reign in the use of opioids. As with all hard decisions, not everyone is completely satisfied with the end result.

As the profession primarily charged with appropriate medication use, I think it is important that we embrace the rescheduling and find ways to maximize it benefits and minimize its unintended effects. What do you think? Please comment below.