Sen. Edward Markey to Keynote MMS Opioid Summit Oct. 31

WALTHAM — U.S. Sen. Edward Markey will deliver the keynote address at the Mass. Medical Society’s (MMS) summit on opioids, “Medication Assisted Treatment: Improving Access to Evidence-based Care,” to be held Monday, Oct. 31, at the society’s headquarters at 860 Winter St., Waltham, from 8 a.m. to noon.

“The medical society, along with many other groups, has focused on prevention and education in addressing the opioid epidemic, and those efforts are critical and must continue,” said MMS President Dr. James Gessner. “But we must also recognize that treatment for opioid addiction is a critical public-health need, as access to evidence-based treatment programs and providers is limited. More access to treatment on demand is essential if we are to reduce the number of overdoses and provide hope to those suffering.”

The event is intended to raise awareness of the need for medication-assisted treatment for substance-use disorder. The society is convening leaders in medicine, public health, policy, industry, and the community to discuss strategies to expand availability and access to evidence-based treatments for opioid addiction such as methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone.

Markey has actively supported legislation to address the opioid epidemic and has been an advocate for appropriate treatment. In his keynote address, “Reducing the Demand for Opioids Through Effective Treatment,” Senator Markey will underscore the need for medication assisted treatment to address the epidemic.

“If we are going to reduce the supply for heroin, fentanyl, and illicit prescription opioids, we have to reduce the demand through treatment,” Markey said. “Unfortunately, for too long, because of outdated federal restrictions, effective medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction was severely limited. When effective medication-assisted treatment is made available, people’s lives can be saved. I look forward to addressing the Massachusetts Medical Society and the opioid summit about how we can ensure treatment is available when and where it is needed most.”

The medical society has gathered more than a dozen national and local experts on the topic for this summit to speak to such topics as the treatment of addiction as a disease, the importance of psychological treatment and behavioral support, models of care, and supporting physicians and providers in treating opioid-use disorders. The program will be hosted by Gessner and moderated by Dr. Dennis Dimitri, immediate past president of the MMS and current chair of the MMS Task Force on Opioid Therapy and Physician Communication.