clarkstar - have you ever been on any opiates? If not, that is probably why you are not famiiiar with contracts. Usually when you go on strong pain meds, you sign a contract with your doctor, agreeing that you won't take any illegal drugs, or any other pain meds of any kind while you are being treated by the doc the contract is with. When one pain management doc put me on a trial of methadone last summer, the contract I signed also said that they could call me at any time and I had to bring my meds to the office for a "count" - that is to be sure your not selling your meds. You usually have to agree to take random drug tests to screen for illegal drugs also.

My family doc prescribes vicodin for me, very little per year as it does not help much so I don't take it often. She has never had me do a drug test or sign a contract. The only time I have had to sign a contract has been the two different pain management doctors I have seen.