Addiction Medicine 2010: Building Bridges for the New Decade |
| February 16th, 2010 |
An educational opportunity to provide up-to-date, useful clinical information for physicians and other medical providers engaged in the treatment of addictive disorders, while providing an opportunity for networking and mentoring, this two day CME event will feature an afternoon of intensive clinical seminars, plus a full day of plenary presentations and discussion. The program will feature nationally recognized faculty as well as expert resources from within North Carolina.
Questions? Contact Tyler Van Steinburgh @ 919 256 7411 or tyler.vansteinburgh@governorsinstitute.org |
| Posted in News & Updates |
Colleges Confront Misuse of Prescription Drugs |
| March 10th, 2010 |
Misuse of prescription drugs is a growing problem on college campuses, where the drugs are used recreationally as well as to aid in studying. |
| Posted in News & Updates |
6th Annual Two Worlds Unite Conference |
| March 8th, 2010 |
MAHEC’s 6th Annual Two Worlds Unite Symposium is almost here. This year MAHEC teamed up with ICARE and the Governor’s Institute on Alcohol and Substance Abuse to sponsor the event. The conference is on Saturday 4.10.2010 at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill, NC. There is an impressive line-up of integrated care presentations. Please see the electronic brochure or visit MAHEC online for detailed information. Thank you! To register, click here.
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| Posted in News & Updates |
Survey Finds Widespread Prescription-Drug Abuse Among U.S. Troops |
| March 4th, 2010 |
Misuse of prescription drugs occurs at a much higher rate among U.S. troops than the general population, with 22 percent of soldiers and 20 percent of Marines reporting prescription-drug abuse within the past year, USA Today reported Dec. 17. The Department of Defense survey of service members found that prescription painkillers were the most commonly misused drugs. The survey also found that 11 percent of soldiers exhibited signs of post-traumatic stress disorder in 2008 — notably in the Army and Marine Corps — and that 60 percent of Marines admitted to binge drinking. Two percent of service members acknowledged that they had thought about committing suicide during the past year. To read the full article published by Join Together, click here. |
| Posted in News & Updates |
Abstinence Rates with Office-based Buprenorphine Treatment Differ by Retention and Insurance Status |
| March 4th, 2010 |
As office-based treatment of opioid dependence with buprenorphine becomes more widespread, an increasing number of reports describe practices and outcomes in real-world settings. This report describes a highly structured office-based program that included a 1—2 day inpatient induction, 5 weeks of 3-hour counseling sessions 4 times per week, then weekly counseling sessions for an additional 12 weeks. Participants attended subsequent monthly follow-up visits and were required to attend thrice weekly 12-step meetings. Full adherence was required to remain in the program. Among the 110 of 176 (63%) consecutively admitted patients available for follow-up at a minimum of 18 months. Published In: Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Health: Current Evidence a project of the Boston Medical Center issue November/December 2009. Access checked 1/10/10. Hillary Kunins, MD, MPH, MS |
| Posted in Buprenorphine |
Methadone Maintenance Therapy Decreases Arrests |
| March 4th, 2010 |
Previous observational reports of methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) suggest that MMT reduces criminal activity. Treatment with methadone often includes medication and counseling; interim methadone (IM) provides medication alone in an effort to reduce costs. In this clinical trial, investigators randomized patients awaiting entry into a comprehensive MMT program to receive either IM (n=198) or to a waiting list (n=119). Interim methadone, providing no counseling, was offered for up to 120 days. After controlling for potential confounders, investigators compared retention in treatment among patients in both groups at 6 and 12 months. Published In: Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Health: Current Evidence a project of the Boston Medical Center issue September/October 2009. Access checked 1/10/10. Hillary Kunins, MD, MPH, MS |
| Posted in Opioid Treatment Programs |
Are Doctors Too Reluctant to Prescribe Opioids? |
| March 4th, 2010 |
This article discusses many factors surrounding pain management and addiction with a particular focus on opioids. To read the full article published by Time, click here. |
| Posted in News & Updates |
Moral Judgement Still Plays a Role in Prescribing Pain Meds |
| March 4th, 2010 |
Few doctors still believe that pain is God’s will and that treating it could be a sin, but morality and legality still play a major role in prescribing pain medication. To read the full article published by Join Together, click here. |
| Posted in News & Updates |
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| 3/24/2010 Safer Opioid Prescribing CME Event Roanoke Rapids, NC |
| 4/23/2010 Day 1 Substance Abuse Conference for Physicians Greensboro, NC More Information Coming Soon! |
| 4/24/2010 Day 2 Substance Abuse Conference for Physicians Greensboro, NC |
| 6/23/2010 Safer Opioid Prescribing CME Event Wilson, NC |
