The American Medical Association (AMA) has set aside August 30, 2019 as Opioid Misuse Prevention Day. The goal is to raise awareness that prescription opioids can be addictive and dangerous. It encourages prevention efforts to combat the opioid crisis.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, since 1999, the quantity of prescription painkillers prescribed and sold in the U.S. has nearly quadrupled

The opioid crisis is one of the most daunting and complex public health challenges of our time. However in just two short years, the nation has made real progress—progress that is saving lives every day. Just over one year ago in New Hampshire, the President emphasized the importance of reducing unnecessary opioid prescriptions, expanding treatment, and boosting naloxone access. Through these initiatives, lives are being saved and we’re beginning to win the fight against this crisis.

We are at a crossroads in our nation’s efforts to end the
opioid epidemic. It is time to end delays and barriers to
medication-assisted treatment (MAT)—evidence-based
care proven to save lives; time for payers, PBMs and
pharmacy chains to reevaluate and revise policies that
restrict opioid therapy to patients based on arbitrary
thresholds; and time to commit to helping all patients
access evidence-based care for pain and substance
use disorders. Physicians must continue to demonstrate
leadership, but unless and until these actions occur, the
progress we are making will not stop patients from
dying. – Patrice A. Harris, MD, MA, Chair,
AMA Opioid Task Force

In 2013, nearly two million Americans abused prescription painkillers and more than 16,000 people in the U.S. died. Each day, almost 7,000 people are treated in emergency departments for using these drugs in a manner other than as directed.

The most abused medications are pain relievers (opioids) such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, percocet, methodone and codeine. Those who abuse prescription narcotics drugs think they are safe because they are not illegal but once addicted, it can be hard to stop.

AMA Opioid Task Force

“The AMA Opioid Task Force recognizes the need for increased physician leadership, a greater emphasis on overdose prevention and treatment, and the need to coordinate and amplify the efforts and best practices already occurring across the country. Much more work remains to reverse the nation’s opioid epidemic, and the AMA Opioid Task Force is committed to doing what is necessary to end the epidemic.”

States Taking Action

AMA Opiod Task Force Progress Report

THE AMA OPIOID TASK FORCE RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING
1. Remove inappropriate administrative burdens or barriers that delay or deny care for FDA-approved medications used as part of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD).
2. Support assessment, referral, and treatment for co-occurring mental disorders as well as enforce meaningful oversight and enforcement of state and federal mental health and substance use disorder parity laws.
3. Remove administrative and other barriers to comprehensive, multimodal, multidisciplinary pain care and rehabilitation programs.
4. Support maternal and child health by increasing access to evidence-based treatment, preserving families, and ensuring that policies are non-punitive.
5. Support reforms in the civil and criminal justice system that help ensure access to high-quality, evidence-based care for opioid use disorder, including MAT.

For more information, visit: end-opioid-epidemic.org and amaalliance.org