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Fentanyl curbs hurt rare patients / KBS 2025.03.18.

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[Anchor] As the misuse of narcotic drugs becomes a growing concern, the government has tightened control over fentanyl, a narcotic painkiller. However, the uniform application of these measures has caused unintended suffering for patients with rare diseases. Reporter Hong Seong-hee has the story. [Report] A woman screams in agony, unable to endure the pain that feels like her limbs are being severed. Thirty years ago, she was diagnosed with a rare disease called complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). [CRPS Patient: "I can't even know what will happen in five minutes. Then I just end up in pain, rolling around and rubbing..."] She has managed to survive with the help of fentanyl, a narcotic painkiller that reduces her pain. Since last year, the prescription amount for fentanyl patches, which are applied to the skin, has been reduced from 20 to 15 patches per week. With insufficient medication, her daily life has collapsed. [CRPS Patien …...more
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Fentanyl curbs hurt rare patients / KBS 2025.03.18.
2Likes
270Views
Mar 182025
[Anchor] As the misuse of narcotic drugs becomes a growing concern, the government has tightened control over fentanyl, a narcotic painkiller. However, the uniform application of these measures has caused unintended suffering for patients with rare diseases. Reporter Hong Seong-hee has the story. [Report] A woman screams in agony, unable to endure the pain that feels like her limbs are being severed. Thirty years ago, she was diagnosed with a rare disease called complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). [CRPS Patient: "I can't even know what will happen in five minutes. Then I just end up in pain, rolling around and rubbing..."] She has managed to survive with the help of fentanyl, a narcotic painkiller that reduces her pain. Since last year, the prescription amount for fentanyl patches, which are applied to the skin, has been reduced from 20 to 15 patches per week. With insufficient medication, her daily life has collapsed. [CRPS Patient: "(Because of the pain) I can't speak or even look at anyone, and I can't live..."] The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has strengthened the management of fentanyl to prevent the misuse of narcotic drugs. In fact, the Ministry requires doctors who prescribe above the recommended dosage to report it, and if they refuse, they can face suspension of their practice. Doctors have no choice but to be cautious with their prescriptions. [Moon Ho-sik/Professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Eunpyeong St. Mary's Hospital: "The hospital is continuously informed that individual professors have exceeded the narcotic dosage."] Pain medicine professors point out that applying the same restrictions on painkillers to patients with rare diseases, who suffer from intractable illnesses, is a violation of human rights. [Choi Jong-beom/Professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Ajou University Hospital: "These patients have come this far after trying other treatments that didn't work. For them, this is the appropriate dosage. I hope they maintain a humanitarian perspective..."] According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety regulations, there are no restrictions on prescriptions if the treatment purpose is justified. However, due to fear of sanctions, doctors struggle to prescribe with confidence, and experts argue that exceptions should be made for rare disease patients. KBS News, Hong Seong-hee. ▣ KBS 기사 원문보기 : http://news.kbs.co.kr/news/view.do?nc... ▣ 제보 하기 ◇ 카카오톡 : 'KBS제보' 검색 ◇ 전화 : 02-781-1234 ◇ 홈페이지 : https://goo.gl/4bWbkG ◇ 이메일 : kbs1234@kbs.co.kr Copyright ⓒ KBS. All rights reserved. 무단 전재, 재배포 및 이용(AI 학습 포함) 금지

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