“The same power, the same drive that prompted you to be a part of the solution – to beat back the opioid epidemic, to save lives, and bring illegal drug dealers to justice – it’s that same victorious spirit that will carry this nation through the coronavirus pandemic.”
– Congressman Hal Rogers (KY-5th)
Stories from the 2020 Virtual Summit
- What should overdose response teams offer? Ask drug users (4-17-20)
- Researchers: Hope is on the horizon (4-16-20)
- State attorney tunes out ‘Florida shuffle’ scheme (4-16-20)
- Peers enhance referral to treatment in emergency departments (4-16-20)
- HHS official: ‘Fourth wave’ looms in drug crisis (4-15-20)
- Community pharmacies: Help or hindrance to Buprenorphine access? (4-15-20)
- Congress must continue efforts on opioid crisis, representatives say (4-15-20)
- Addressing addiction amid the COVID-19 pandemic (4-14-20)
- Push for medication treatment in jails grows stronger (4-14-20)
- Helping overdose survivors often means meeting basic needs (4-14-20)
- Opioid alternatives, technology help vets manage pain (4-14-20)
- A message from Congressman Hal Rogers (4-14-20)
- Nancy Hale: Create hope where you are (4-14-20)
- Welcome message from Doug Edwards (4-14-20)
- Rx Summit to continue as virtual experience, (3-25-20)
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Doug Edwards
Director, Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Learning Network
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Nancy Hale
President & CEO, Operation UNITE
- By helping each other gain knowledge about emerging threats and best practices, you are creating hope where you are.
- Community by community, we will win this battle because we are stronger together.
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Harold “Hal” Rogers
U.S. Representative (KY-5th)
- This holistic movement is working.
- We clearly still have more work to do, but I know that this team of professionals already knows how to respond to a crisis.
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Robert Wilkie
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
- The U.S. Veteran’s Administration is now offering more ways to reduce pain.
- Technological advances now allowing greater access to veterans.
- Currently providing more telehealth counseling.
- Agency is increasing use of Naloxone distribution.
- Although good things are taking place, the fight against opioids is not over.
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Jim Carroll
Director, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy
- U.S. is offering more telehealth administration of Buprenorphine.
- Recently reached out to 30 college administrators on ways to provide Naloxone and training on campuses.
- Treatment does remain inaccessible for many people in the United States. Everyone deserves quality care.
- The U.S. will continue to hold drug traffickers accountable and seek to stop the in-flow of drugs into America.
- Has been inspired by the stories of hope and compassion of those who attend Rx Summit.
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
Panel Discussion on COVID-19 and Addiction
- Nick Stavros, CEO, Community Medical Services
- Jennifer Hancock, President & CEO, Volunteers of America Mid-States
- Tim Robinson, CEO & Founder, Addiction Recovery Care
- Doug Edwards, Director, Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Learning Network (Moderator)
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Congressional Update
- U.S. Representative Earl “Buddy” Carter, Georgia 1st District
- U.S. Representative Tom Cole, Oklahoma 4th District
- U.S. Representative David Trone, Maryland 6th District
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Admiral Brett Giroir, MD
Assistant Secretary, United States Department of Health and Human Services
- Overseeing both the opioid crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most daunting challenges.
- Opioid crisis is a threat to our nation as a whole.
- Coordination is required at all levels and must involve all stakeholders, including faith-based and international partners.
- Pleased at the decrease in prescription opioid prescribing and the increase in Naloxone availability.
- Five-part strategy:
- Greater access to treatment
- Strengthen public health data reporting
- Provide evidence-based pain management alternatives
- Target availability of overdose reversal drugs
- Support cutting-edge research leading to new treatments that reduce drug-related harms
- Very important to ensure treatment is not interrupted during the pandemic; make use of tele-medicine for evaluations.
- Beyond prescription drugs, increases in deaths from synthetic drugs and meth demands a wide response – it is the “fourth wave of our substance use disorder crisis.”
- Poly-drug use is now the norm.
- The more we communicate, the better we will be able to address the crisis.
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Dr. Stephen Hahn
Director, Commissioner, United States Food & Drug Administration
- FDA “wants to bring hope, but not false hope” to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Rx Summit is helping to forge critical connections, sharing information, and providing support.
- It is “mission-critical” work to battle and overcome the opioid crisis.
- Working to ensure implementation of the SUPPORT Act, which has brought resources directly to front-line efforts.
- Advocating for new methods to prevent overdose deaths.
- Urged everyone to take advantage of all available options – including use of tele-medicine.
- Especially focused on ensuring availability of Naloxone because overdoses “can happen at any time” and Naloxone “can be administered by anyone.”
- Efforts ongoing to develop new pain treatment options.
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Dr. Deb Houry
Director, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the CDC
- Despite progress, the number of opioid deaths is still unacceptable – especially those deaths due to synthetic opioids.
- Major focus of NCIPC is to provide funding for proven prevention efforts.
- This is being done through collaborative efforts with community programs.
- They are seeking input from stakeholders on an update for the “CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain” through public comments and virtual meetings.
- Working to administer $101 million in Drug-Free Community Support grants now that the program has been transferred from SAMHSA.
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Uttam Dhillon
Acting Administrator, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
- The opioid crisis did not end when the COVID-19 pandemic began.
- It is crucial to solidify the gains we have made.
- The DEA remains steadfast in its mission to disrupt and dismantle drug-trafficking organizations.
- Production quotas have nearly cut in half the amount of opioids that are being made.
- More than 13,000 pharmacists have been educated on pre-emptive steps they can take.
- The scheduled April Rx Drug Take-back Day will be rescheduled once the pandemic ends, but there are still 10,000 authorized collection sites across the country.
- Proud to receive a 15-month extension on the temporary scheduling of fentanyl analogs.
- In partnership with SAMHSA, ensuring steps are being taken from point of production to point of delivery to ensure that those needing medications can receive them.
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Admiral Charles Ray
Vice Commandant, United States Coast Guard
- Even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, men and women are interdicting incredible amounts of heroin, fentanyl and synthetic drugs.
- Also interdicting a large amount of cocaine that is funding the cartels.
- It is Coast Guard’s mission to disrupt trafficking routes before these drugs can reach the United States.
- Working closely with partner nations to put a stop to the “grave national and global threats” caused by illegal drug trafficking.
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Kathryn Burgum
First Lady of North Dakota
- Response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been inspiring. Imagine what would happen if we applied the same energy and resources to addiction.
- Biggest barrier to success is the stigma about the disease of addiction.
- It is an issue with which she is familiar: For many years, she kept the “shameful secret” of her alcohol addiction.
- Must provide support to the people in need.
- Her call to action: Remember and prioritize those on the pathway to addiction or on the road to recovery.
- Continue virtual support meetings and remember to check on those who are struggling.
Thursday, April 16, 2020
John Temple
Author of “American Pain”
- The 2015 book examined Florida’s pill mills, but now focusing on corruption in the addition treatment industry.
- Infusion of federal money to provide treatment and recovery support opens up opportunity for fraud and abuse to receive insurance payments.
- Clients are being paid to relapse so the cycle can continue and receiving free gifts to entice them into treatment and sober homes.
- “Charge or Change” initiative by Palm Beach County Sober Homes Task Force and Delray Beach Police Department targeting this corruption.
- “We must learn by what has happened in South Florida.”
- When so much money is at play, we must think ahead and prepare for corruption.
Thursday, April 16, 2020
Senator Marsha Blackburn
Tennessee
- Governmental officials are looking to make sure that federal resources are made available to local communities.
- Holds China accountable for Fentanyl.
- Trying to put in place stiffer regulations and penalties to prevent Fentanyl from entering U.S. market.
- Education is important to ensure students and parents understand what it is we, as a country, are up against in dealing with the opioid epidemic.
Thursday, April 16, 2020
Senator Roy Blunt
Missouri
- We can’t let the pandemic cause us to lose sight of other healthcare challenges related to opioids.
- Need to continue to focus on increasing options with alternative medicines, providing trained workforce opportunities, dealing with behavioral health, and providing more care through tele-health technologies.
- State opioid response grants are providing the tools to fight addiction – including mental health.
- Interventions need to happen before a person enters the criminal justice system.
Thursday, April 16, 2020
Federal Update Conversation
- Dr. Francis Collins, Director, National Institutes of Health
- Dr. Nora Volkow, Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse
Thursday, April 16, 2020
Beth Macy
Author of “Dopesick”
- The “Big Picture” hasn’t really changed since 2012. The opioid crisis is festering and growing.
- We need to treat those with substance use disorders as patients rather than criminals.
- The heroes are the helpers and first-responders; they will be the ones to get us out of this problem.
- Purdue Pharma wanted people on OxyContin, and they wanted them on it for a long time.
- There is an urgent need to increase the use of Buprenorphine and to get more Drug Courts to utilize medication-assisted treatments.
- Addiction is a chronic, relapsing disease and we should treat it as such.
- We are all connected, more connected than we realize. We need to get out or our silos.
- One person can make a huge difference – you just have to change hearts and minds.