The vice-president of the parent company for a pain clinic that opened two weeks ago on State Route 93 has submitted a written response to questions about the facility.

However, some questions submitted were not answered in their entirety.

Portsmouth attorney Gary Billiter said the Iron Rock clinic is &uot;compelled to provide the best treatment available at reasonable costs to patients medically determined to have a need for our services.&uot;

The clinic is owned and operated by Rocky Road Enterprises, which is licensed by the State of Ohio.

According to the statement, the outfit decided to open the clinic to &uot;provide focused treatment to chronic pain patients.&uot;

Billiter stated that each patient is examined by a doctor at each visit to determine the &uot;appropriate treatment.&uot;

Billiter also stated the physicians involved in the clinic are &uot;licensed and certified.&uot;

Last Thursday, The Ironton Tribune submitted five questions to Billiter, seeking information about the facility. The five questions were:

1. Who owns and operates the clinic, and why did they decide to open a facility in Lawrence County?

2. I understand the doctors who staff the clinic are from Cincinnati and Cleveland. Who are they are? Are they board certified and currently licensed to practice medicine in the State of Ohio?

3.What ailments are being treated at this clinic? Will each patient be seen by a doctor for an examination prior to the issuance of a prescription?

4.Does this entity operate other such clinics, and where are they located?

5.People within the community have expressed concerns about the nature of this facility. Are there are any assurances you or others can offer about the legal, safe, considerate operation of this facility?

The new clinic has drawn fire from neighbors who fear the facility is a &uot;prescription factory&uot; much like the one that operated for a short time two years ago in Hanging Rock.

That clinic closed after a fire damaged the building it was located in.

The Iron Rock clinic has also gotten the attention of Lawrence County Sheriff Tim Sexton, who pledged to keep close watch on the facility. Teresa Moore/The Ironton Tribune