AMA to Hold Webinar on Prescription Opioid Overdose and the Public Health Response
CHICAGO - Dec. 6, 2012 - The American Medical Association (AMA) will host a free webinar to help physicians better understand trends in unintentional prescription opioid overdoses and the public health response. This is the second in a series of 12 AMA webinars on topics related to responsible opioid prescribing.
“Prescription drug abuse is a serious epidemic that cannot be ignored, and any action we take to prevent it must ensure that patients who are suffering from chronic pain get the treatment they need,” said AMA President Jeremy A. Lazarus, M.D. “The AMA is pleased to offer a series of webinars to help physicians combat prescription drug abuse while promoting responsible pain management.”
While overuse and misuse of prescription drugs is a serious problem, a great deal of human pain and suffering remains inadequately treated. According to a 2011 Institute of Medicine report, 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. Many of these chronic pain sufferers need prescription opioids to function in their day-to-day lives.
During the webinar, speakers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will provide an overview of the epidemiology of prescription drug overdoses and deaths and summarize potential risk factors for overdoses. The speakers will also provide an overview of the CDC’s public health response. The webinar will be held on December 12 at 1 p.m. EDT, and will be archived online for on-demand viewing after December 12.
This activity has been certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit TM. To register for the webinar, visit http://eo2.commpartners.com/users/ama/series.php?id=1214.
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Media Contact:
Shannon (O'Brien) Breymaier
AMA Media Relations
(312) 464-4443
shannon.breymaier@ama-assn.org
About the American Medical Association (AMA)
The American Medical Association helps doctors help patients by uniting physicians nationwide to work on the most important professional, public health and health policy issues. The nation’s largest physician organization plays a leading role in shaping the future of medicine. For more information on the AMA, please visit www.ama-assn.org.
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