June 26: U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams on Combating the Opioid Epidemic
June 25, 2019“Combating the Opioid Epidemic” with U.S. Surgeon General Vice Adm. Jerome M. Adams
Wednesday, June 26
2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
The Pew Charitable Trusts, 901 E Street NW, Washington, DC
As the 20th surgeon general of the United States, Jerome Adams, MD, MPH, has made combating the opioid epidemic — a public health crisis responsible for approximately 130 overdose deaths a day — a national priority. During his tenure, Dr. Adams has called for a cultural shift on addiction, urging the nation to recognize it as a chronic, treatable disease and not as a moral failing. He also has called for broadening the availability of naloxone, a Food and Drug Administration-approved medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, and issued a report, “Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Spotlight on Opioids,” outlining strategies to prevent and treat opioid misuse and promote recovery.
Pew works to develop and support state and federal policies that increase access to evidence-based treatment for people with substance use disorders. We welcome Dr. Adams to discuss his efforts to address the opioid epidemic.