My comments on the new guideline draft, if you care to read.
I don’t believe that they will be listening anyway, but I will continue praying that the CDC wakes up and realizes that it should not be in this effort. It’s outside their usual scope of practice. This would be like me giving guidelines for how to tie knots. I’ve secured a few in my life but am not the expert on knots. If someone wanted to learn about knots, I would say talk to experts who do a lot of knot tying. This is not their place, not just based on my opinion but also their mission and goals. Yet. Here we are again. Below are my actual comments.
My Comments
I believe that the CDC’s goals and mission are to be the nation’s health protection agency. The CDC is supposed to help save lives and protect people from health threats. Using blanket guidelines in this manner hurts the overall health of the individual seeking care and their ability to get proper and timely care. The only way to provide appropriate and timely care is to stay within your mission and goals. Leave healthcare laws and regulations to the states and the people. Protect the sanctity of the provider-patient relationship.
Please help promote individualized care instead of blanket guidelines for the masses on areas better served by other agencies and state regulatory boards. The CDC should be conducting critical science overviews and provide health information that protects our nation against expensive and dangerous health threats and responds when these arise, such as the pandemic, and access to proper care, such as promoting telehealth options. They are responsible for controlling the introduction and spread of infectious diseases and providing consultation and assistance to other nations and international agencies to improve their disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion activities. Please let our practicing medical professionals and systems handle diagnosis, treatment, and care for those already living with chronic illness.
Summary
I did so much on the CDC guidelines the first time around, back in 2016. Recognizing that is the same pattern we saw as a pain community. I tried hard then to be heard just as so many others did. They are using the same formula they used last time, and I suspect they use it on many of the projects they produce.
I send best wishes to everyone in the pain community, the addiction community, and the United States of America. God be with us all.
by Barby Ingle