My husband, Colin Gerdes, went to the emergency room at UPMC Passavant Hospital on 11/7/06, complaining of severe headaches and blurred vision, as well as bleeding from his right ear. He was admitted and spent 8 days as an inpatient. After numerous tests, showing nothing more than sinusitis and anxiety, he was diagnosed with migraine, opiod dependence (from several knee and spine surgeries and multiple MDs prescribing pain medication to "treat" his chronic pain), and anxiety. He was discharged with methadone 15mg oral bid, depakote 250mg, bid, an increased dose of prozac to 30mg q am, previously prescribed valium 10mg tid was noted but not refilled as he had an Rx at home, and imitrex 100mg po q2 hrs prn. He was discharged on 11/15/06, went home, and died in his sleep approximately 6 hours later, after taking his doses of methadone and valium, exactly as they were prescribed. The autopsy report confirmed his cause of death to be combined methadone and diazepam (generic valium) toxicity, accidental drug overdose. The DEADLY combination of drugs caused cardiovegaly with left ventricular hypertrophy. He was 33 years old. The medications were prescribed by Dr. Benjamin Shtrahman, MD. When the coroner called and spoke with this doctor to have him sign off on the death certificate, the doctor very arrogantly stated " I won't sign it...I didn't prescribe anything that would have killed this patient" and abruptly hanged up the phone.

This could have been prevented...this was done TO Colin. He went to the hospital trusting and seeking treatment, and the medications that were prescribed to help him, killed him. This is inexcusable and someone needs to be held accountable. There isn't the proper regulation, education, monitoring, etc. around the dosing and administration of this controversial drug, let alone in conjunction with benzodiazepines and anti-depressants. The DEA, FDA, Dept of Health, drug manufacturers, health care organizations, MDs…Who owns ultimate accountability for this? Who is liable? They are all to blame in my opinion and legislation needs to be created and/or changed to prevent this from unnecessarily happening to other innocent victims.

I work for a pharmaceutical wholesaler and am in hospital pharmacies 5 days out of the week. I have had many of my directors of pharmacy check their internal pharmacy software systems for contraindications surrounding these drugs prescribed in combination, and nothing!!! How can they pull duragesic patches, NSAIDS like vioxx and bextra, etc. from the market and not even produce a compelling warning about the side effects and potential reactions of methadone??? It’s entirely incomprehensible.

Colin's death, and MANY others, will not be in vane. We have a voice and collectively can effect change.

We need to insure that this epidemic does not continue to occur and lives may be saved. Please visit us at www.harmd.org to get involved and support our lobbying efforts.

Sincerely,

Jessica L Gerdes