In some respects this is good, as more focus is put on pain control. More people involved in pain control means more information about, more progress in, and more access to pain control. Good cancer care and good pain control can be found in cities, towns, and even rural communities. For example, some companies design machines used to give pain control medicines. Unfortunately, new devices and techniques sometimes become almost routine before they are proven to be better than older, easier, and less costly methods of pain control.
Some lawmakers believe that legally prescribed medicines too often make their way to other people.
Pain experts disagree. Instead, they believe that laws and regulations that protect against diversion limit access to these medicines for people who truly need them. Most laws and regulations that cover the major painkilling medicines are enacted by the states and vary from state to state. State laws govern how many pills a doctor can write for with each prescription and how many prescriptions for analgesic opioids a physician can write each month. Regulations restrict some doctors from prescribing these medicines at all.