The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "pain medication" ...
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C-HIT: Pharma Perks
The Affordable Care Act requires pharmaceutical companies to publicly report all payments to physicians by September 2013. Some drug companies have already compiled, but few consumers know that the information is available or how to access it. What this story did is disclose for the first time for CT consumers: 1) how many doctors in Connecticut are high-prescribers of certain psychotropic and pain medications, (108) 2) the cost of written prescriptions (hundreds of thousands of dollars in some cases) 3) how many of these doctors received payments from drug companies (at least 43) 4) and the amounts that the doctors received from the drug companies ($30,000 - $99,000) It also reported that only 3 doctors on the high-prescribing drug list have been disciplined by the state Medical Examining Board.
Tags: Affordable Care Act; pharmacy; physicians; prescriptions; drugs; Medical Examining Board
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ESPN, Outside the Lines: Painkiller Misuse Numbs NFL Pain
The story examines the degree to which current and former NFL players used and misused prescription pain medications.
Tags: painkillers; drugs; NFL; football
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Medicating the Military
The stories looked at the nature and scope of the use of prescription drugs in the military community, with a focus on psychiatric medications and painkillers. The reporting found that use of psychiatric medications has risen dramatically in the past several years and some doctors suggest it may be a factor in the military's suicide epidemic of recent years. Reporters found that many psychiatric drugs - including powerful anti-convulsants and anti-psychotic medications - were being used "off label", or in ways not formally approved by the FDA. Reporters found that many troops were taking up to 10 medications at a time in so-called drug cocktails that experts say are untested and unproven in these combinations. Reporters also found that deaths caused by accidental drug overdoses had tripled during the past several years and that the Army's specialty care units were quietly conducting internal investigations and making significant changes to hospital protocols to reduce risk of accidental deaths. Finally, they found that psychiatric drug usage was also up significantly among military children.
Tags: Military; Army; Veteran; Health; Wellness; Medicine; Drugs; Pain killers; Psychiatric Medication; Mental Health; Suicide; Depression; Military Children; Hospital; Prescription
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Unapproved Drugs
The government is paying millions for risky medications that have never been reviewed for safety and effectiveness but are still covered under Medicaid, an Associated Press analysis of federal data has found. Tax payers have shelled out at least $200 million since 2004 for such drugs. Yet the Food and Drug Administration says unapproved prescription drugs are a public health problem, and some unapproved medications have been dozens of deaths. Millions of private patients are taking them as well, and their availability may create a false sense of security. The AP analysis found that Medicaid, which serves low-income people, paid nearly $198 million from 2004 to 2007 for more than 100 unapproved drugs. Data for 2008 were not available but unapproved drugs still are being sold. The AP checked the medications against FDA databases, using agency guidelines to determine if they were unapproved. The FDA says there may be thousands of such drugs on the market. The medications are mainly for common conditions like colds ad pain. They date back decades, before the FDA tightened its review of its review of drugs in the early 1960s. The FDA says it is trying to squeeze them from the market, but conflicting federal laws allow the Medicaid health program for low-income people to pay for them.
Tags: Medicaid; unapproved medicine; medical reporting; Food and Drug Administration; prescription drugs; medical review
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Pill Mills
"In a hidden camera investigation, CBS News exposes how rogue pain clinics and fake doctors fuel the widespread abuse of prescription drugs."
Tags: pain medication; doctors; unlicensed; Texas; Drug Enforcement Administration;
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Misleading coding advice causes financial troubles, liabilities, for unsuspecting anesthesia, pain offices.
The authors investigated a claim that Medicare and insurance companies are paying for care they don't cover. Insurers are beginning to catch on and are seeking reimbursement. The ensuing chaos caused by misleading sales representatives means that medical offices are having to foot the bill.
Tags: Medicare; insurance; coding; medical device companies; sales representative; pain management; anesthesiologists; FOIA
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Frequent Faller
A woman widely reported as being trampled at a Florida Wal-Mart during a mad rush for cheap DVD players on the morning after Thanksgiving had made at least 15 prior claims of injuries from slip-and-falls, falling objects, heavy lifting or other accidents. This investigation--like the original story it was based on--received worldwide attention and cast a new light on what had been criticized as an example of capitalism.
Tags: TAPE; Wal Mart; Wal-Mart; slip-and-fall claim; claim; injury; unconscious; fake; fraud; trampling; trampled; worker's compensation; car accident; injured; hurt; medical record; pain.
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Foreign Objects
A Star-Ledger investigation revealed that "while implants save or improve the lives of millions of people, thousands suffer in pain, disfigurement, immobility and, in some cases, death. The multimillion-dollar medical implant industry is supposed to be overseen by the Food and Drug Administration, but in fact it is regulated so laxly that devices often reach the market without clinical testing and with little oversight afterwards."
Tags: implants; medicine; artificial heart valves; pacemakers; dental implants; joint replacement; breast enhancements; Food and Drug Administration; FDA
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The Pain Doctor
An 18-month investigation by WITI-TV captured hidden-camera documentation of Dr. Stuart Suster committing blatant emotional and psychological abuse to his patients. As the investigation continued, more and more evidence pointed to shady business practices and questionable medical techniques practiced by Dr. Suster. After the show aired, the state of Wisconsin charged Dr. Suster with 11 counts of inappropriate conduct towards patients, and he remained the focus of local, state and federal investigations prompted by the WITI investigation.
Tags: TAPE; TRANSCRIPT; Doctors; Health; fraud; patient abuse; inappropriate conduct; Dr. Stuart Suster; state medical examining board; misconduct
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As Nursing Homes Say 'No,' Hospitals Feel Pain
Hospitals across the country are scrambling to find places for elderly patients who still have complex medical problems but no longer need hospital care. Because of Medicare cuts, a growing number of skilled-nursing facilities are denying admission to high-cost patients.
Tags: Medicare; Nursing facilities; elderly; health care; high-cost patients