Jim
04-16-2004, 02:27 PM
Dr. Robert Kale, a double board certified anesthesiologist and pain management specialist, as well as a practicing acupuncturist, ran a well-regarded pain management clinic in Fort Smith, Arkansas, until he was hauled before the Arkansas State Medical Board on a charge of over-prescribing opioid pain relievers in August of 2002. He has since been vindicated by the medical board, but the Drug Enforcement Administration refuses to return his DEA certificate, which allows doctors to prescribe controlled substances and is crucial to a pain management practice.
Already active in issues related to the treatment of chronic pain before his run-in with the authorities, Dr. Kale became even more active. He joined with Dr. Ronald Myers of the National Pain Institute (see related story this issue) and Arkansas pain patients to push through the state's pioneering Chronic Pain Relief Act last year, and has emerged as a tireless fighter against drug war intrusions into the practice of medicine. Dr. Kale, along with another harassed Arkansas physician, Dr. Terry Brackman, is set to speak at the Pain Patients Rally and March on Washington scheduled for next week, whose primary purpose is to call for congressional hearings on DEA attacks on pain physicians and patients. In the meantime, his practice remains shuttered, and his patients on their own, more collateral damage in the war on drugs.
DRCNet spoke with Dr. Kale in Fort Smith on Wednesday: interview (http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/333/robertkale.shtml)
... http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif...
Already active in issues related to the treatment of chronic pain before his run-in with the authorities, Dr. Kale became even more active. He joined with Dr. Ronald Myers of the National Pain Institute (see related story this issue) and Arkansas pain patients to push through the state's pioneering Chronic Pain Relief Act last year, and has emerged as a tireless fighter against drug war intrusions into the practice of medicine. Dr. Kale, along with another harassed Arkansas physician, Dr. Terry Brackman, is set to speak at the Pain Patients Rally and March on Washington scheduled for next week, whose primary purpose is to call for congressional hearings on DEA attacks on pain physicians and patients. In the meantime, his practice remains shuttered, and his patients on their own, more collateral damage in the war on drugs.
DRCNet spoke with Dr. Kale in Fort Smith on Wednesday: interview (http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/333/robertkale.shtml)
... http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif...