The doctor's middle finger

A slang term for opioids, where they are viewed as a doctor's way of giving someone the middle finger. If the doctor can't diagnose a patient's condition, and the patient continues to insist on treatment options in spite of the doctor's reluctance, the doctor may prescribe the patient opioids as a way of simply shutting them up rather than helping them figure out what's wrong. Given the naturally addictive nature of opioid medications, this is often seen as a doctor's way of hurting someone back, often being viewed as the worst-kept secret of American healthcare.