Prepared by: Dana Joy

Burke County Precinct Chair

Burke County, NC

SPECIAL REPORT:

The Opioid Crisis:  A Light At The End Of The Tunnel?

Article #3  •  March 3, 2018

Since learning that Burke County had joined with other counties across the US in filing a lawsuit against many of the opioid drug manufacturers and distributors in January of this year, with three hundred similar lawsuits nationwide, it seems I have noticed a network of determination from multiple avenues pouring out with congregated efforts to stop this addiction madness and collectively try to put in place their ideas for an outreach of hope and change. Between the billboards that try to let parents know to lock up their meds, to a myriad of pharmacies now providing drop off boxes for safe disposal of unused meds so as not to be left in an unsecure environment, I wonder…could there be a light at the end of the opioid crisis tunnel? Let’s examine some of the more recent updates that have transpired, and you decide.

In less than one week after the above-mentioned law suit was filed in Burke County, Purdue-Pharma let go half of their sales team and placed restrictions on the other half in relation to sales protocol to providers. President Trump and his administration have relentlessly labored and prioritized their commitment to “ending this unprecedented crisis” according to Attorney General Jeff Sessions. He went on to say that the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) has ramped up its regulatory and prevention efforts in recent months.  Sessions is calling for the acting administrator of the DEA to seriously consider amending its “regulations governing the total production quota where appropriate as quickly as possible.”  

In other news, Partners Behavioral Health Management recently distributed more than 1200 doses of naloxone which reverses opioid overdoses, to agencies in its provider network, in the form of “kits”. These kits act as “proactive clinical tools” and contain two doses of Narcan (the brand name for naloxone) each. PBHM has a training program for providers to be educated on distribution, interaction with those receiving the kits within a clinical setting and the risks of overdoses. One silver lining here is that this was the first time PBHM has been able to offer this service to providers with state funding.   They claim that a large contributor of the opioid addiction crisis is due to people suffering from “substance-use disorders”. This means that once the addict is let out of jail or a treatment facility, the temptation to use again is very real, and the abuser will tend to use the same amount they used before starting recovery, thus resulting in an overdose because their bodies are not used to handling that same amount of drug as before.

John M. Gray, president and CEO of The Healthcare Distribution Alliance, recently called for the development of a universal suspicious orders monitoring database that is run by the DEA and accessible to law enforcement and state regulators. This would create a positive arena of crucial communication within a network of all involved to pro-actively identify and stop those who are turning their backs on this public health crisis and want to continue “business as usual”. Gray added “We are committed to doing our part to reverse the opioid epidemic”, and he urged healthcare providers and supply chains to come together to raise awareness as a team effort.

Although the opioid tunnel may be dark, I would venture to say that I do see a tiny light at the end. It may be small now, but if our healthcare professionals, law enforcement agencies, communities, local and state governments as well as on a national level continue taking positive steps forward, then collectively we will see hope, change and the light will eventually get bigger.

References:  The News Herald, March 4, 2018 • WBTV Charlotte • WSOC Charlotte

Dana Joy can be reached at: dana@burkecountyvoice.com