Congressman Kennedy to question pharmaceutical leaders on development of non-addictive pain drugs
Click here to download a PDF version of the Media Advisory
Washington, DC / PR web / September 27, 2017 – The President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis will convene today at The Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C. The meeting will include presentations from invited government, nonprofit, and business organizations regarding innovative pain management and prevention measures for diversion.
The opioid epidemic has become a public health crisis for many communities across the United States. Opioids, often prescribed by medical providers as a regimen to relieve the severity of pain, are highly addictive. Unfortunately, an increasing number of Americans die annually as a result of drug-related overdoses and suicides. These two causes of death represent an inter-related mortality trend that must be dealt with concurrently.
One area that remains critical in the fight against the Opioid Crisis is the pharmaceutical industry’s commitment to ensuring that non-addictive pain medication is available as an alternative to opioids. Today, Congressman Kennedy, a member of the Opioid Commission and the other Commissioners will engage representatives from the pharmaceutical industry on their plans to develop the next wave of pain prescription drugs and increase the uptake of existing pharmacological methods that could reduce opioid prescribing.
The Commission, created by Presidential Executive Order 13784, is expected to release its final recommendations on November 1.
The meeting will be live streamed. Click here to view the full agenda.
WHO:
- Commissioner Chris Christie, Commission chairman, Governor of New Jersey
- Commissioner Charlie Baker, Governor of Massachusetts
- Commissioner Roy Cooper, Governor of North Carolina
- Commissioner Patrick J. Kennedy, founder of The Kennedy Forum
- Commissioner Bertha Madras, Ph.D., professor of psychobiology in the Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
- Commissioner Pam Bondi, Florida Attorney General
WHEN:
Wednesday, September 27, 2017 from 12:30-2:30 p.m.
WHERE:
The Eisenhower Executive Office Building – Room 350
1650 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington DC 20502
https://www.whitehouse.gov/live
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About The Kennedy Forum
Founded in 2013 by former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy (D-R.I.), The Kennedy Forum focuses on advancing evidence-based practices, policies, and programming in behavioral health. This is achieved through promoting public discourse in health and addiction issues, ensuring equal access for patients living with mental health and/or substance use disorders; and advancing prevention and treatment throughout the entire continuum of the healthcare delivery system. The Kennedy Forum’s collaborative partnerships help to foster greater provider accountability, integration and coordination, cutting-edge technologies, and brain fitness and health. The nonprofit organization publishes frequent issue briefs and is a repository of other educational resources on behavioral health parity issues. To learn more about The Kennedy Forum’s efforts to eradicate the stigma often associated with behavioral health, or to access related materials, visit www.thekennedyforum.org, www.paritytrack.org, and www.parityregistry.org.
