MMS, DPH Release Video on Opioids

The Mass. Medical Society and the Mass. Department of Public Health have collaborated on a video program discussing the opioid crisis in the Commonwealth and how the new law signed by Gov. Charlie Baker is intended to curb the abuse.

Crisis in the Commonwealth: Opioid and Prescription Drug Abuse features two physicians who have been at the forefront of addressing the epidemic: Monica Bharel, M.D., Massachusetts commissioner of Public Health, and Dennis M. Dimitri, M.D., 2015-2016 president of the Mass. Medical Society. Hosting the program is Lynda Young, M.D., professor of Pediatrics at UMass Medical School and a past president of the medical society.

Among the topics of discussion are the origins of the crisis, the impact of the epidemic on patients and families; the roles of prescriber and patient; actions taken by medical, state, and public health agencies to reduce the abuse; and the provisions of the new state law recently signed by Baker.

“The landmark law signed by Governor Baker was a critical step in the opioid fight,” said Bharel. “But it is imperative that education about the law and the risks of pain medicines proceed aggressively. We are pleased to continue our collaboration with the Medical Society in addressing the epidemic and providing more information for both prescribers and patients.”

“The opioid crisis has been a top priority for physicians for more than year,” said Dimitri, “and we have worked with Dr. Bharel and other state officials on several initiatives addressing this crisis.  This video is one more step we’re taking together, and we hope it will prompt discussions between patients and prescribers about how to manage pain more effectively with less risk of addiction.”

Crisis in the Commonwealth is part of the medical society’s monthly patient educational video series, Physician Focus, produced in collaboration with HCAM-TV, Hopkinton. The program is being distributed to public access stations throughout the Commonwealth, reaching more than 275 communities, and is available online at www.physicianfocus.org/opioids, at www.massmed.org/physicianfocus, and on YouTube.

The video production also includes a public-service announcement recorded by Bharel and Dimitri and a list of local and national resources about substance abuse, opioids and pain medicines, and prevention and treatment options.

Among the resource are those from the Mass. Department of Public Health, at www.mass.gov/opioids, and from the Massachusetts Medical Society at www.massmed.org/opioids.