Derek Boogaard addictions and doctors indifference to it

[llipgh2]

This is a long, but very interesting article. The amount of drugs this guy was able to legally obtain was staggering. And interesting insight to how team doctors interact. Or don't...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/04/sports/hockey/in-hockey-enforcers-descent-a-flood-of-prescription-drugs.html?_r=1

[Fire0nice228]

Yeah what a crazy article.. Something seems very unprofessional about these doctors actions and the amount of pills he was provided. I mean, who sends a text message and get a prescription for 30 more pills by the end of the night? Really really sad

[suzinpgh]

This is a terribly sad and disturbing article. Boogaard's mountie dad is doing the difficult detective work. He & his family must be heartbroken to see this paper trail that preceded their son's death.

[Streaks House]

Pretty disturbing stuff. Unfortunately, opiate abuse is sweeping North America, from the abusers/addicts to the doctors that so readily supply it. Even NHL players, among other professional athletes, can fall victim to this deadly addiction. I have a hard time believing Boogaard abusing and Wild/Ranger doctors irresponsibly prescribing opiates is an isolated incident in the NHL. Tough reality for some of the "NHL is holier than thou" fan boys to accept that NHL players could, in fact deal with opiate dependency struggles.

Given how the game is played and the nature of players to play through injuries, there's no way this is isolated. But I digress.

Can't imagine the doctors named in this article being very happy over being tied to Boogaard's death.

[shmenguin]

somehow opiates are a-ok, but marijuana is illegal. makes a ton of sense

[Sarcastic]

I read the whole thing. It's shocking. I don't understand why an athlete isn't monitored by a single, team-designated, doctor. This almost feels criminal.

[Streaks House]

somehow opiates are a-ok, but marijuana is illegal. makes a ton of sense

Pharmaceutical companies. Too powerful.

[Shyster]

Sarcastic asked me to take a look at these facts and see if there’s anything criminal on the part of the doctors. I’m belatedly getting to that request.

The answer is possibly. The prescription of controlled substances like many of the drugs Boogard was taking is controlled by federal law, and there are laws dealing with appropriate levels of prescribed drugs. It’s not an area where I practice, but I do know that doctors who essentially rubber-stamp prescriptions can be charged with drug trafficking under federal law. Doctors have been charged for writing “too many” prescriptions and for writing prescriptions for too many pills at a time. Doctors who prescribe “outside the scope of professional practice” can, for example, be charged under 21 U.S.C. § 841, which covers the distribution or dispensing of controlled substances. In short, those doctors could have exposure to federal criminal charges for drug distribution. Those aren’t minor crimes, either. We’re talking about 10+ years in jail.

[brwi]

Sarcastic asked me to take a look at these facts and see if there’s anything criminal on the part of the doctors. I’m belatedly getting to that request.

The answer is possibly. The prescription of controlled substances like many of the drugs Boogard was taking is controlled by federal law, and there are laws dealing with appropriate levels of prescribed drugs. It’s not an area where I practice, but I do know that doctors who essentially rubber-stamp prescriptions can be charged with drug trafficking under federal law. Doctors have been charged for writing “too many” prescriptions and for writing prescriptions for too many pills at a time. Doctors who prescribe “outside the scope of professional practice” can, for example, be charged under 21 U.S.C. § 841, which covers the distribution or dispensing of controlled substances. In short, those doctors could have exposure to federal criminal charges for drug distribution. Those aren’t minor crimes, either. We’re talking about 10+ years in jail.

Yep, Chris Benoit's DR got 10 years in prison for illegal distribution/prescribing of prescription drugs.

[Sarcastic]

This whole thing smells of a massive coverup. By teams and by the NHL. I was always under the impression that a hockey player is cared for by a single team doctor who keeps tabs whenever the player seeks medical care on the outside. That doesn't seem to be the case because these doctors didn't even coordinate with each other. The NHL won't admit it, as it would severely tarnish its image, but it looks like the entire system is broken. I guarantee it that there are other players like Boogaard right now.

This is a two-pronged situation for me:
1. Individual doctors prescribed pills without taking the player's medical history into account.
2. Teams that Boogard played for failed to provide proper medical care and/or failed to monitor the player.

I personally think that his father would have a case, or cases, if he decided to file a lawsuit. It would be a massive undertaking if he sued the NHL, so I can understand why he feels it may be too big to tackle.

[pittsoccer33]

I actually just found this article and read all three parts of it. I came away with a few things from it:

-I was really surprised to see how afraid this makes the guys who are considered enforcers. I must just be naive, but with adrenaline running I don't think I'd be terribly afraid to get into a fist fight with a guy remotely my size. I was so freaking angry watching replays of that Islanders debacle from 2011 that I wanted to punch somebody.

But I guess the idea of these staged goon fights isn't about adrenaline or tempers, but like the WWF. You wonder how a pro wrestler could mentally prepare himself to be thrown into barbed wire or broken glass. I guess this is similar, but I never realized just how hard some of these guys must punch. Usually in fights it looks like both guys keep missing.

-The NHL could pretty easily ban fighting. Penalize the same as other sports. Players just wouldn't do it anymore, I guarantee. If it hit them in the wallet, they'd stop it.

-The minor leagues is where the largest resistance to it would be. It's pretty shocking that they not only allow, but encourage kids to do this in Canadian juniors. Encouraging a kid to bare knuckle box is borderline criminal. But staged goon fights seem to be a major draw in the minors.

-I wonder if Boogaard's emotional/developmental issues could have contributed to the level of CTE he showed. Could somebody's emotional development and well being begin to affect the physical make up of the brain? Is that possibly the grounds that the NHL is saying blunt force trauma from hockey is not in any way connected to CTE?

Bottom line, when the league starts to see the stream of lawsuits coming in the way the NFL is it will change it's tune.

[Pavel Bure]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=423043

Boogaard family files wrongful death suit against NHL... wow.

[Idoit40fans]

I figured this thread was getting bumped, just heard about it on the radio coming to work today.