By now it’s starting to seem as if the deceased “King of Pop” was at the least struggling with some major pharmaceutical demons. If it turns out that his passing was due to abuse of medications, he certainly won’t be the first case of a celebrity passing in this way. The reason I’m mentioning this at all on this blog is to discuss the ethics of medical providers providing patients with potentially dangerous doses of controlled substances.

While the great majority of physicians actively watch for signs of abuse, what causes cases like Elvis, Anna Nicole Smith and now Michael Jackson to catch our attention? The easy answer always seems to be money. Patients with enough cash seem to be able to keep shopping for a provider who will supply their every desire. It seemed like there may be some real justice in the works when the DEA announced it was joining the Jackson death investigation. Who will be investigated? Who will face consequences if prescription abuse is determined to be causal in the singer’s death?

To take this line of questioning even further, what responsiblity do healthcare providers have to report suspected cases of abuse? Clearly, even by his own admission, Jackson had issues with prescription drug abuse. How does the healthcare industry protect patients from themselves? How does HIPAA protect patients from being protected by concerned practioners? Do a handful of high-profile cases leave the present healthcare system with a black eye?

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