Some of the pain clinics in Florida have closed their doors this week because of a tough new law that took effect last week. Other pain clinics are struggling to find legal ways to remain open.
"A lot of people were panicking. I was getting a lot of calls from people trying to figure out how to stay alive," said Bernard Cassidy, an attorney in Fort Lauderdale who represents some local pain clinics. Many pain clinic owners have discovered new ways to circumvent the new law, such as opening pharmacies and selling their clinics to physicians.
Last week, four pain physicians in Boca Raton and central Florida filed a federal lawsuit claiming the law was unconstitutional. A hearing is expected to take place in a few weeks.
Broward and Palm Beach counties have the dubious distinction of being home to about 275 of the approximately 1,000 pain clinics in Florida. Broward and Palm Beach counties have become the East Coast’s largest supplier for drug dealers and addicts in search of prescription painkillers. The situation has also contributed to a disturbing increase of overdoses in the area from prescription drugs.
The new law was passed in May by the Florida Legislature. It stipulates that all pain clinics must now be owned by physicians with clean records, or meet criteria to be licensed by the state. The state can conduct surprise inspections at any time, as well as seize clinic records without a warrant.
Under the new law, the pain clinics cannot sell more than a three-day supply of pain medication and they cannot advertise that they sell painkillers. Physicians now become responsible for the daily operations of the clinics. Those who run clinics not in compliance will be charged with felonies and banned from the business for five years.
