Sickle cell advocate wins fight for high-dose opioids

George H. Carter appears to have won his fight to ensure that people like himself who suffer from sickle cell disease can get the high dosages of opioids needed to control the excruciating pain.

On June 15, Gov. Ralph S. Northam approved a regulation to make a change that Mr. Carter pushed as administrator and chief lobbyist for the nonprofit Sickle Cell – Virginia, the umbrella state-wide organization with chapters in Richmond and other localities.

The regulation change will allow physicians to provide those with the niche genetic blood disease with far higher levels of opioids without being forced to justify the treatment as is now required when such potentially addictive drugs are prescribed to those in pain.