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First Nations communities may soon focus on pill-pushing physicians – Cape Breton Post 11.10.2005 

Pill-pushing physicians may soon be the central focus of First Nations communities aiming to rid themselves of ongoing prescription drug abuse. 

"They're angry," said Kevin Keating, deputy registrar at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia. 

During a two-day Unama'ki Prescription Drug Misuse Forum that ends today, participants said they want to know precisely how to blow the whistle on physicians over-prescribing sedatives to aboriginal people. 

The crowd, gathered at the North Star Inn in North Sydney, learned that of the 63,000 physicians in Canada, about 40 are responsible for 10 per cent of the benzodiazepines prescribed in First Nations communities. 

The statistic startled some and infuriated others. 

"I want to know what I write, who to send it to, and what evidence is needed," said Daphne Hutt-MacLeod, a psychologist at Eskasoni Community Health Centre. "I deal with the damage these drugs cause. "If I did something wrong in my profession, I'd know about it in a hurry." 

Although no specific protocol was available at the forum, panel members did commit to getting participants the information needed to report physician misconduct. 

As well, the college continues to reprimand physicians guilty of misconduct.

Keating said at least one Cape Breton physician is currently being investigated by the college for over-prescribing. 

"There may be more," he said. "You'll hear about it in the next few months." 

Keating, recently appointed as chairperson of Nova Scotia's Prescription Monitoring Program, asked the crowd to give him at least one year to deliver results. 

"Prescription drug abuse is an incredibly complex problem," he said. "There are lots of ways to solve it." 

The province's 13 chiefs have signed a letter indicating prescription drug abuse is one of their greatest concerns, said Richard MacLachlan, professor at Dalhousie Medical School. 

MacLachlan also chairs the Drug Utilization Evaluation Advisory Committee for Non-insured Health Benefits. The committee's goal is to recommend improved prescribing, dispensing and use of drugs for First Nations and Inuit clients of the program. 

"As part of that, we recommend culturally appropriate educational interventions and strategies," said MacLachlan.

The committee was established nearly two years ago and is focused primarily on addressing diabetes management, benzodiazepines, opioids, anti-depressants, crystal meth, and ADHD syndrome. 

The two-day forum is organized through the Tui'kn Initiative, and is supported by Health Canada's Primary Health Care Transition Fund, Aboriginal Envelope