OK people I'll state it in a different way. I prescribe a great deal of narcotics I believe appropriate and The DEA and I have an ongoing good relationship.
You do NOT have to prescribe narcotics to any patient that you deem in your medical opinion that class of drugs are not in the patients best health interests.
What are yall afraid of? Please don't forget, your DEA license also includes the responsibilty of do diligence to keep controlled drugs from being diverted illegaly. That aspect should bug you more than patient complaints or fear of the regulators picking on you b/c you didn't prescribe a narcotic to some patient.
Also, not prescribing a narcotic is NOT abandoning a patient. If you deem it inappropriate DON'T do it.
Actively firing a patient will sooner have you standing in front of a judge than not prescribing narcotics.
