The Role of Science in Addressing the Opioid Crisis

by | Addiction

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsr1706626#t=article

Nora D. Volkow, M.D., and Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D.

May 31, 2017DOI: 10.1056/NEJMsr1706626

Opioid misuse and addiction is an ongoing and rapidly evolving public health crisis, requiring innovative scientific solutions. In response, and because no existing medication is ideal for every patient, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is joining with private partners to launch an initiative in three scientific areas: developing better overdose-reversal and prevention interventions to reduce mortality, saving lives for future treatment and recovery; finding new, innovative medications and technologies to treat opioid addiction; and finding safe, effective, nonaddictive interventions to manage chronic pain. Each of these areas requires a range of short-, intermediate-, and long-term research strategies

NBA

And yet, restrictions on buprenorphine continue, the largest number of patients any one provider can treat for addiction is 275 patients.  That’s like telling an oncologist he can only treat 275 patients with cancer!!   More possibilities for physicians to be persecuted by govt and medical boards.

Dr. Raymond Oenbrink
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