Respond to at least two of your colleagues* on two different days by expanding on their response and providing an example that supports their explanation or respectfully challenging their explanation and providing an example.

*Note: Throughout this program, your fellow students are referred to as colleagues.

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Opioid Epidemic 

The opioid epidemic is something that affects many aspects of life. It affects the personal lives of the people and families involved, the communities they are part of, as well as all the way to the healthcare resources in these communities. There are many reasons that can be blamed for the opioid epidemic we are facing today. One of the big causes is prescription pain medications. In the 90’s many pharmaceutical companies were pushing these opioid pain medications as safe and non-habit forming (U.S., n.d.). We all know now that these medications are highly addictive and dangerous for many patients. One big social determinate that helped to push this crisis was education.  Many people did not understand these medications, and they trusted the experts to inform them of the safety of the medications they were prescribed. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency in 2017 (U.S., n.d.). 

Presidents Solutions 

President Biden’s solution to the problem was grant given to states and territories to help fight the opioid epidemic. The grant was a $1.5 billion grant that was part of the State Opioid Response and Tribal Opioid Response Grant (WH.Gov, 2022). This grant increased substance abuse treatment and prevention programs, increased access to recovery services, increased access of products like Naloxone, increased funding for law enforcement in high use areas, and sanctions to stop drug trafficking (WH.Gov, 2022).   

President Trump’s solution to this problem included education as well as funding for communities to fight the opioid crisis. He passed the Support ACT that included $6 billion in funding along with education plans (The White House, n.d.). The Support Act included reducing over prescribing, education about over prescribing, stopping illicit drug chains, increasing recover programs, and securing borders (The White House, n.d.).  

What more could we do? 

The programs they instated had all the right components. The education aspect I feel is the most important. Many people get angry that their physicians will not prescribe the pain medications they used to prescribe for them. Patients do not always understand the dangers of these medications, they just know they worked for them. I think we should also be looking into alternative pain management treatments for our patients, that do not include pain medication. Many times, patients just feel deserted by their physicians when they are not offered alternative solutions.          

Reference 

The White House. (n.d.). Ending America’s opioid crisis. retrieved from https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/opioids/ Links to an external site. 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). What is the U.S. opioid epidemic? retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov Links to an external site. 

WH.Gov. (2022). Fact sheet: Biden-Harris administration announces new actions and funding to address the overdose epidemic and support recovery. retrieved