The Healthcare Policy Podcast ®  Produced by David Introcaso
The Healthcare Policy Podcast ® Produced by David Introcaso
Mitigating the Opioid Crisis Via Abuse Deterrent Prescribing Practices: An Interview with Dr. Steven Passik (February 9th)
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Mitigating the Opioid Crisis Via Abuse Deterrent Prescribing Practices: An Interview with Dr. Steven Passik (February 9th)

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Fatalities related opioid use now account for over two-thirds of all drug overdoses annually, over 60,000, in the US.  Approximately 115 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose.  This number represents a five-time increase over the past two decades.  Opioid-related fatalities have become so prevalent, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, they have caused a decrease in US life expectancy for the past two consecutive years.  (The last time life expectancy dropped was in 1993 due to the AIDS epidemic.)  While the amount of prescription opioids sold to pharmacies, hospitals and doctors has quadrupled in the recent past, Americans are reporting on reduction in the amount of pain they suffer.  (Ironically, we are over prescribed and under treated.)  To date the federal government's response to the epidemic has been poor although this past week, the Congress appropriated $6 billion, an amount experts believe beyond inadequate, over a two year period to address the crisis.   

During this 28 minute interview Dr. Passik discusses the numerous causes contributing to the opioid epidemic, policies and practices in pharmacology that may be contributing to the problem, strategies used in pharmaceutical prescribing, or in the use of abuse deterrent formulations, to reduce addiction or abuse and the role other reforms in the clinical practice setting and in reimbursement can play in reducing harm and opioid-related fatalities.  

Since 2017 Dr. Steven Passki is currently the Vice President of Scientific Affairs, Education and Policy at Collegium Pharmaceuticals.  Prior to joining Collegium, Dr. Passik was Director of Clinical Addiction and Education at Millennium Laboratories.  Prior still, he spent 25 years in academia and clinical care at Memorial Sloan Cancer Center, at the University of Kentucky and at Vanderbilt University.  His research has focused on the psychiatric aspects of cancer and non-cancer pain and symptom management and the interface of pain management and addiction.  He has served as on the editorial board of the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management and as a reviewer for multiple journals including The Clinical Journal of Pain.  He has been a member of several scientific and medical societies including the American Psychological Association and the American Society of Psychiatric Oncology/AIDS.  He has written extensively on the interface of pain management and addiction. He is a clinical psychologist and has areas of expertise include the general psychological aspects of cancer including palliative care and symptom management with an emphasis on pain, depression, nausea and fatigue.  Dr. Passki was named a fellow of Division 28 of the American Psychological Association (Psychopharmacology & Substance Abuse) and awarded a Mayday Fund Fellowship in Pain and Society. An author of more than 120 journal articles, 60 book chapters and 59 abstracts, he speaks nationally and internationally on pain, addiction and the pain/addiction interface.  Dr. Passik received his doctorate in clinical psychology from the New School of Social Research in New York City.

I noted during the interview Dr. Passik will be keynoting a DC-area abuse deterrent formulations meeting in March, information on the meeting is at: http://www.cbinet.com/conference/pc18298.

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The Healthcare Policy Podcast ®  Produced by David Introcaso
The Healthcare Policy Podcast ® Produced by David Introcaso
Podcast interviews with health policy experts on timely subjects. The Healthcare Policy Podcast website features audio interviews with healthcare policy experts on timely topics. An online public forum routinely presenting expert healthcare policy analysis and comment is lacking. While other healthcare policy website programming exists, these typically present vested interest viewpoints or do not combine informed policy analysis with political insight or acumen. Since healthcare policy issues are typically complex, clear, reasoned, dispassionate discussion is required. These podcasts will attempt to fill this void. Among other topics this podcast will address: Implementation of the Affordable Care Act Other federal Medicare and state Medicaid health care issues Federal health care regulatory oversight, moreover CMS and the FDA Healthcare research Private sector healthcare delivery reforms including access, reimbursement and quality issues Public health issues including the social determinants of health Listeners are welcomed to share their program comments and suggest programming ideas. Comments made by the interviewees are strictly their own and do not represent those of their affiliated organization/s.