Pain in America - and how our government makes it worse! (Paperback)

~ John P. Flannery II (Author), Holly S. Flannery (Editor), Author (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It makes me feel rather powerless in the face what the late Allen Ginsberg may have called 'Moloch' - the devouring beast; Flannery's 'Pain in America' is a warning against an overreaching government." --Tim John, News Director, WAGE Radio

"Mr. Flannery is a former federal prosecutor from New York and a former Capitol Hill counsel, now in private practice, and has represented physicians and patients from across the nation. This book is a must-read for anyone who treats or suffers from chronic pain, or who knows anyone who may suffer from chronic pain, or who cares about this public health crisis, to inform them of this grave injustice, to explain what we must do to protect ourselves, and to explain the constitutional rights that are at stake for, if we are not vigilant, we may wake up to find that these critical constitutional rights no longer exist." --Siobhan Reynolds, President and Founder of the Pain Relief Network

"This is a book about one of America's most important untold stories: the incredibly misguided war the federal government is waging on physicians whose only crime is a desire to heal their patients' persistent pain. As Flannery writes in the introduction, this appalling miscarriage of justice is a product of "ignorance, junk science, misplaced religious zeal, misdirected social policy, and plain old arrogance. The author is one of America's toughest and smartest litigators. He catalogues the government's abuses with the precision of a brilliant former federal prosecutor -- which is exactly what he is." --Charles Kaiser, former correspondent, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek Media critic, and author, 1968 IN AMERICA, and THE GAY METROPOLIS.

Product Description

John P. Flannery, II, is a former federal prosecutor from New York City who prosecuted multimillion dollar heroin conspiracies. He believes, however, that our government is dead wrong to prosecute physicians for treating chronic pain patients. I am ashamed that the Justice Department is doing this, Flannery says. There are 75 million Americans who suffer long term excruciating pain and the government is making it worse . For many pain patients, neither surgery nor alternative procedures ease their pain. Congress authorized the use of controlled substances to treat their chronic pain. But the Justice Department, Flannery argues, opposes prescriptions of these controlled substances. It prosecutes the physicians who treat chronic pain patients. Flannery holds the government accountable for destroying the once sacrosanct relationship of physician and patient, for criminalizing chronic pain treatment, and for creating a public health crisis of under-treated patients. Flannery tells the tragic story of patients and physicians who are the victims in this war against pain medicine, explains the history of privacy and how the government is destroying that right, suggests how we may protect ourselves from the government, and issues a chilling warning to be vigilant in the face of this tyranny lest we lose our rights once and for all.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 159 pages
• Publisher: Ithaca Manor Press LLC; 1st edition (February 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0979124603
• ISBN-13: 978-0979124600
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,113,345 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pain In America, March 26, 2007

By	Lea Gaddy (Lovettsville, Virginia, United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

1. Great book and a quick, easy read!
2. The author is an attorney who clearly understands his subject thoroughly, has extensive working knowledge, and has performed all the detailed research to make his book a winner.
3. The book is written in simple, practical language that makes it invaluable for laymen like me. It's a "how to" approach that's as easy as follow the numbers. Believe me, you could pay thousands of dollars for legal advice from most attorneys, and it wouldn't be nearly as good or as useful.
4. If you suffer from chronic pain or know someone who does, then this book is a Must Have.
5. But here's the biggest "Bang For Your Buck." Although this book is written to address a specific (and tragic) subject, its simple and practical legal advice is obviously generally applicable to most legal situations. For $15 it's a steal!!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read, Useful information., April 8, 2007

By	Christine Heberle (Erie, Pa) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I read this book and it was very good. I especially like the part about the Pennsylvania doctor. My husband, whom I have have known since I was 15 and he was 16, is a brilliant and compassionate man who helped many pain patients because he learned to listen to his patients. This trusting relationship is critical to the doctor patient relationship and this book emphasizes how the government has set out to destroy that trust, among other ways that they are hurting pain patients in this country. I also found the information on the the fourth amendment excellent. I have looked for an analysis of the rights at stake when the government interferes with the treatment of chronic pain patients, but I have found none to be as accessible and as complete as in this book by John Flannery. I recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about what the government is doing and what we can do to stop it. Christine Heberle

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read, April 16, 2007

By	Patricia A. Hall (Lovettsville, VA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

John Flannery has a knack for describing how the government is compromising our right to life and liberty when it comes to getting the medical treatment that we may need to be free of pain. He tells a story as engrossing as it is terrifying. After all, we are talking about our health and the government's efforts to interfere with it. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to know how the government is putting their health at risk and what you could and should do about it.