ending the opioid crisis. Her remarks, summarized in a statement from the CDC, emphasized that the country is facing an emergency that would require cooperation from public health, clinicians, law enforcement and the media. She urged patience before warning that the media might decrease coverage before the epidemic has truly subsided. Schuchat also reminded the conference attendees that the epidemic took two decades to develop and would likely take a considerable amount of time to resolve.
There were a variety of topics covered by the CDC during the conference including a discussion of the CDC’s Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain, a practical resource offering real-world strategies for dealing with chronic pain while minimizing the risk of addiction — as well as seminars geared toward applying lessons learned about addiction recovery through Medicare and Medicaid programs.
Describing how the conference can be an invaluable tool in the battle against substance abuse, Edwards said we need to “effectively address this crisis, all aspects of society need to work together, and the Rx Summit is an important venue for having these critical conversations.
