On Thursday, March 1, ASHP attended the White House Opioid Summit featuring government agencies and advocacy groups gathered to address our nation’s opioid crisis. The event included opening remarks by First Lady Melania Trump followed by three panel discussions moderated by Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway:
- The first panel featured a discussion on prevention, treatment, and recovery, with panelists Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, and Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin. A Q&A session followed.
During his remarks on the VA’s opioid strategy, Secretary Shulkin noted the importance of pharmacists: “We send our pharmacists out to train our doctors in how to appropriately prescribe opioids.”
- During the second panel, newly appointed Acting Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Jim Carroll, provided remarks about the Trump administration’s efforts to address the opioid crisis.
- Panel three covered a discussion on law enforcement and interdiction and featured panelists Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, and Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan, followed by a Q&A session.
Watch the video of the White House Opioid Summit by clicking here.
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Jillanne Schulte Wall, ASHP’s Director of Federal Regulatory Affairs and ASHP’s representative at the White House event, is involved in several initiatives at the organization to combat opioid abuse and misuse, while ensuring appropriate pain management for patients.
Supporting our members and addressing the opioid crisis is a top priority for ASHP. ASHP is working with the government and multiple stakeholders while continuing to provide education and resources for our members. ASHP will also be hosting a multidisciplinary commission meeting on opioids on March 6 that will focus on identifying actionable solutions to the opioid epidemic, with an emphasis on optimizing pain management through the selection, initiation, and monitoring of medication therapy in hospitals and health systems. The pharmacist’s role on the interprofessional patient care team will be discussed throughout the day.
Posted March
2,
2018
