Letters: Pa. must tackle opioid crisis

ISSUE | DRUG ABUSE

Pa. must tackle opioid crisis

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Gov. Wolf agreed last week to call a special session of the General Assembly to work on the opioid addiction crisis. The Pennsylvania Medical Society applauds this bipartisan effort.

Special sessions are used only for the most troubling issues. Opioid abuse and addiction is one of the most troubling issues facing our state.

Pennsylvania ranks number one in the country for overdose deaths of males ages 12 to 24. Let's turn that around and become the best state in the country in addressing this crisis.

We need:

To change the stigma that comes with addiction and treatment.

Opioid prescribing guidelines that work for patients, physicians, and policymakers.

A prescription-drug monitoring program that is adequately funded and fits within clinical workflows.

Last month, the society kicked off an initiative to help doctors and patients be smart, safe, and sure when opioids are needed. The society and our doctors pledge to help the commonwealth address this crisis.

|Dr. Scott Shapiro, president, Pennsylvania Medical Society, Abington, stat@pamedsoc.org