Contributing Author: Kara Furman and Alan Lewis, MD, PhD
Date Uploaded onto Website: April 1, 2016
Overview: Opioid addiction has garnered considerable attention as the latest public health “epidemic.” Topics related to opioid use have dominated recent political and public discourse, including: discussion of the issue in both Republican and Democratic presidential debates; a $1.1 billion proposal from President Obama to treat opioid use disorders; and, of course, coverage of various celebrities with prescription drug abuse. The CDC reports that from 2010-2012 the rates of death from heroin overdose doubled in 28 states (1). This sharp increase in rates of heroin use has been blamed largely on crossover from those addicted to prescription opioid pain-killers. As the public turns its attention to this new healthcare crisis, issues of funding, medical practices, mental health, stigma, and race are all highlighted. This module provides a rich opportunity for these discussions.
Author Affiliations: Kara Furman is a student in the Yale School of Medicine MD/PhD program. Dr. Lewis is from the Department of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine. David Ross, MD, PhD and Ashley Walker, MD are the Contributing Editors for this publication. The National Neuroscience Curriculum Initiative is a collaborative effort with AADPRT and the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Council on Medical Education and Lifelong Learning and receives support from the NIH (R25 MH10107602S1) ©National Neuroscience Curriculum Initiative.
