BALANCING LAWS AND TREATMENT

Re "At Trial, Pain Has a Witness" (Findings, April 24): As a chronic
pain sufferer, I know finding a doctor willing to treat pain is nearly
impossible due to our government's war on drugs. Prescribing pain
medications is a balance between aiding patients and leakage of drugs
to illegal markets.

It's alarming that our government is controlling how doctors treat
patients and prescribe medication. Had a medical board found Dr.
William E. Hurwitz's practices "too generous," I'd be willing to
accept their finding. But it wasn't doctors that busted the pain
specialists, it was bureaucrats. Let's leave pain treatment and care
to the medical community.

Jesse Alt

Baltimore