The Hurwitz verdict is going to scare even more doctors off of chronic pain management. Patients lose yet again:

By prosecuting Hurwitz for drug trafficking because some of his patients abused or sold painkillers he prescribed, the Justice Department reminded physicians throughout the country that they are expected to be cops as well as doctors. If they fail to reconcile these irreconcilable roles, if they do not treat their patients like criminals as well as customers, they can be convicted of felonies punishable by decades in prison, as Hurwitz was last week.

Hurwitz was a bad cop. He believed his patients when they said they were in pain. He gave them the benefit of the doubt when they asked for early refills, which could indicate diversion but also could indicate inadequate doses. He continued treating their pain after they tested positive for cocaine. He hesitated to abandon problem patients he knew would have trouble getting treatment elsewhere.