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Rebecca Baldwin

Chelsea Brandon

English 101

23 February 2011

Research Proposal

1.

Bok believes that several steps need to be taken to resolve the dilemma [over prescribing

too much or too little pain killers at risk of lawsuit] and encourage the proper treatment of

chronic pain without subjecting doctors to unnecessary risks (128).

2.

I am interested in this because I am currently being treated for chronic pain and would like to

know more about the issues doctors have to face when prescribing pain killers.

3.

I think the readers will be interested in this as well because many people are told that you

shouldnt take pain killers because they are so addictive; it might be nice for people to learn

about the safe usage and what it could mean for doctors and chronic pain suffers alike.

4.

a.

Why do doctors have to worry so much about prescribing too many or too little pain

killers?

i.

Most doctors worry because pain differs so widely from person to person that it

can be hard for doctors to tell how much or how little to give someone.

ii.

Maybe doctors are worried about the vagueness of the laws about the distribution

of opiates.

iii.

It could also be that doctors dont know enough about the opiates to feel

comfortable prescribing them

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b.

S hould people who are in chronic pain have unlimited access to pain killers?

i.

Yes, people with chronic pain should have unlimited access to pain killers as long

as they take them as prescribed.

ii.

No, there is the risk of becoming addicted.

c.

S hould pain killers be illegal?

i.

I dont think they should be illegal. I have first hand experience with how they

can help control chronic pain; when taken responsibly

d.

Do people really need pain killers?

i. I do not believe there is anything wrong with pain killers as long as they are usedresponsibly.

e.

Can people with chronic pain get pain relief without opiates?

i.

There might be some herbal pain reliefs.

5. S ome sources I will consult are:

Bok, Derek. The Politics of Happiness: What Government Can Learn from the New Research on

Well-Being. Princeton: Princeton UP, 2010.

Harris, Gardiner. "F.D.A. Plans New Limits on Painkillers." The New York Times . The

New York Times, 13 Jan. 2011. Web. 23 Feb. 2011.

.

Fisher, Dena M. "Prescription Drug Abuse: Trends, S urveillance, and Future Implications." Case

Western Reserve University . Case Western Reserve University. Web. 23 Feb. 2011.

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Johnson, S andra H., Knox Todd, and Benjamin W. Moulton. "T H E J O U R N A L O F

LAW, MEDICINE & ETHIC S ." Chronic Pain and Healthy Communities: Legal,

Ethical, and Policy Issues in Improving the Publics Healt . CDC. Web. 24 Feb.

2011. .