Morphine saga
From the day i entered medical school till now, it could be only few countable instances when i came across opportunity to see the drug/salt morphine sulphate. Known for its addiction causing ability this is used for treating severe pain mainly in palliative care.
When the 15th loksabha, post pepper spray episode had passed the amendments to NDPS act of 1985,i was tripping in reverie trying to vividly repicture the anecdotes around the morphine,which is a narcotic drug.
MONA was memonic for remembering the treatment of Myocardial infarction,in which M stood for morphine. Morphine was also the drug which had made itself etched in my memory for its peculiar side effect like spasm of sphincter of oddi. The queen morphine(ampoule of 2 mg costing around 13 Rs) was also ostensible the cheapest drug but was like treated as gold in hospital establishments. I had wondered why is it so protected, imagine it is still being locked in a drug box with locks, and has a seal signed by the medical superintendent and department head be it casualty or ICU. And funniest part it will be important work of the security personnel to keep a close look on the seal of this small locker which contained morphine during their security drill.
During my internship days, i saw a patient suddenly collapse with classical angina symptoms holding his precordium, well remembering mona talked to the anesthetist who was duty in Casualty to prescribe Morphine. I was also ready to procure from the pharmacy myself, but the protocols were different which
had made me think will i ever see a ampoule of morphine. Morphine arrived but patient had departed.
Well i saw it how it looks few months back,but it was brought out of lockers only to send out audit reports to health department of municipal authority that drug was used and was not discarded unused.
And the dicarding protocol was so amusing, it has to be washed away in tap of runningwater, if ampoule is broken and part of medicine was left over. And i was witness for this ritual of discarding morphine, so i had to sign two to three places ,signatures for procuring and also for discarding half unused ampoule.
Despite all this tight security for the storage and use of this drug, it is popularly abused drug
Being a narcotic drug, this morphine is derived from opium,which India is the largest producer in the world(legally). Well illegaly opium is funding terrorism, money for election expenses thus the terms Narco terrorism and NarcoPolitics. Relaxing the strict norms for production now with licenses for production,
hope this brings in easy availability, reducing the agonising pain of cancer patients, and those with chronic pain causing diseases.
Its only hope it shouldnt reach the pleasure seeking drug addicts, for the cause of alleviating the agony of pain stricken patients may this amendment bring pain free dignified living to them. And now the next generation of indian doctors will have oppurtunity to see morphine tablets, more knowledge to gain in palliative care in future.
The enlightened citizenry has so much responsibilities and oppurtunities, thanks to Dr Rajagopal for this man relentlessly fought the battle for making the life of terminally ill more pain free.
When the 15th loksabha, post pepper spray episode had passed the amendments to NDPS act of 1985,i was tripping in reverie trying to vividly repicture the anecdotes around the morphine,which is a narcotic drug.
MONA was memonic for remembering the treatment of Myocardial infarction,in which M stood for morphine. Morphine was also the drug which had made itself etched in my memory for its peculiar side effect like spasm of sphincter of oddi. The queen morphine(ampoule of 2 mg costing around 13 Rs) was also ostensible the cheapest drug but was like treated as gold in hospital establishments. I had wondered why is it so protected, imagine it is still being locked in a drug box with locks, and has a seal signed by the medical superintendent and department head be it casualty or ICU. And funniest part it will be important work of the security personnel to keep a close look on the seal of this small locker which contained morphine during their security drill.
During my internship days, i saw a patient suddenly collapse with classical angina symptoms holding his precordium, well remembering mona talked to the anesthetist who was duty in Casualty to prescribe Morphine. I was also ready to procure from the pharmacy myself, but the protocols were different which
had made me think will i ever see a ampoule of morphine. Morphine arrived but patient had departed.
Well i saw it how it looks few months back,but it was brought out of lockers only to send out audit reports to health department of municipal authority that drug was used and was not discarded unused.
And the dicarding protocol was so amusing, it has to be washed away in tap of runningwater, if ampoule is broken and part of medicine was left over. And i was witness for this ritual of discarding morphine, so i had to sign two to three places ,signatures for procuring and also for discarding half unused ampoule.
Despite all this tight security for the storage and use of this drug, it is popularly abused drug
Being a narcotic drug, this morphine is derived from opium,which India is the largest producer in the world(legally). Well illegaly opium is funding terrorism, money for election expenses thus the terms Narco terrorism and NarcoPolitics. Relaxing the strict norms for production now with licenses for production,
hope this brings in easy availability, reducing the agonising pain of cancer patients, and those with chronic pain causing diseases.
Its only hope it shouldnt reach the pleasure seeking drug addicts, for the cause of alleviating the agony of pain stricken patients may this amendment bring pain free dignified living to them. And now the next generation of indian doctors will have oppurtunity to see morphine tablets, more knowledge to gain in palliative care in future.
The enlightened citizenry has so much responsibilities and oppurtunities, thanks to Dr Rajagopal for this man relentlessly fought the battle for making the life of terminally ill more pain free.
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