The Two Rings segment brought my ire at the Huffington Post for printing a piece presented by Arthur Rosenfeld. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-rosenfeld/michael-jackson-king-of-p_b_221973.html Rosenfeld listed himself as an Author, Philosopher and a Martial Arts Instructor. His opinion in the Huffington Post indicates he has been hit in the head one too many times in the martial arts and he falls far short of Philosopher status. Since anyone can be an author I will allow him that latitude, but if he remains a Philosopher I will begin to bill myself as a Rocket Scientist. Rosenfeld did admit to being a paid consultant (shill a better word?) for Purdue Pharma, the makers of OxyContin. He went on to exploit the passing of Michael Jackson’s reported drug use by creating the title of the article “Michael Jackson, King of Pain?”
Per Rosenfeld: “Was Michael Jackson in pain? It is a matter of record that he had a high-pressure, perhaps abusive childhood. It is a matter of record that he suffered fears, obsessions and paranoia. Was his pain the sort of angst that leads some people to escape to from the world by abusing prescription medicines or street drugs? I cannot pretend to know”.
Note: A common practice for the legal drug mavens is to create a negative image of an individual’s psychological background if the dangerous drugs have become a visable problem.
Rosenfeld wrote: In an early, executive capacity for that company (Purdue) I became aware of the sad and inappropriate prejudices against people who use pain medications–opioid analgesics in particular–and the doctors who prescribe them. 20 years ago, I watched my dear late uncle, Arthur Master suffer unimaginable pain before finally succumbing to metastatic prostate cancer. I watched him bravely battle his pain, but when I asked his caregivers to prescribe more medicine, they declined.”
Note: How does an experience from 20 years ago relate to the care the terminally ill receive today? Hospice has become a powerful and rightful source in helping people die peacefully and with dignity.
Rosenfeld also wrote: “Millions of Americans live in pain today. They are grandmothers with arthritis, 20-somethings who survive car accidents, your cousin whose toolbox fell on his hand, you waking up from surgery. They are our neighbors and family and friends. Succinctly put; pain patients are us.”
Note: Am I to infer everyone is in need of potentially addictive drugs for their pain?
Granted, the above quotes from Rosenfeld are in context. But, they go on to create an unsubstantiated claim: “that I worry that instead of leaving a joyous, luminous legacy, the “Thriller’s” end will bring more difficulties, more misunderstanding and more difficulties to the pain patients when they go to their doctor with a complaint or their pharmacy for a much-needed refill.”
In conclusion, Arthur Rosenfeld, by way of Purdue Pharma and the Huffington Post has portrayed himself as a fraud if he maintains he is a philosopher. Philosopher’s are thought of as individuals who think more deeply than the rest of us. But, instead Rosenfeld has come across as simply a paid consultant to a drug company who has been convicted in Federal Court for lying to the American People. On my home page, http://www.prescriptionaddictionradio.com I have an eight minute sound bite revealing James N Campbell from Johns Hopkins University who misrepresented himself before members of Congress in July, 2007. Campbell has become a casualty of the Purdue company and Rosenfeld has made the decision to join Campbell in stature.
As always, paid consultants are always welcome to join me on the radio show.