BOARDPREP MEETS THE CHALLENGE IN TAMPA BAY With the number of opioid overdose deaths rising in many states since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic[1], a longstanding “supply” issue has gained more attention, including in the halls of Congress. The supply in question? Doctors and clinicians who can prescribe buprenorphine. Given the explosion of cases…
A report by data firm Protenus reveals an alarming problem in the midst of the opioid epidemic, and it’s called “opioid diversion.”[1] The report states that in 2018, over 47 million doses of legally prescribed opioids were “lost” due to healthcare employee theft and misuse, a startling increase of 126 percent from the previous year.…
In a recent report by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) updating how opioid use disorder (addiction to opiates) should be diagnosed, assessed and treated[1], a number of important guideline revisions, as well as new recommendations, have been put forward to the addictions professional community, taken together offering increased hope and encouragement for those…
Opioids are the class of drugs that are naturally found in the opium poppy plants. They are prescription medications that are used for the treatment of chronic or acute pain. Among society, these drugs are widely feared for their association with addiction, abuse, and adverse effects. Because these drugs can make you feel relaxed, they…