Statement attributable to:
Patrice A. Harris, MD, MA
President-elect, chair of the AMA Opioid Task Force
American Medical Association
“The American Medical Association [AMA] is pleased that more patients with an opioid use disorder are receiving treatment in physicians’ offices and other health care settings. It also is encouraging that there was a statistically significant decline in the number of people who misused prescription opioids in 2017 and a dramatic decrease in the number of people who initiated heroin use.
“Despite these positive signs, however, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health [NSDUH] also found there are major gaps in treatment for those with a substance use disorder or with a mental illness. The AMA is particularly troubled by the fact that suicidal thoughts and plans for suicide are higher for those with a substance use disorder compared those who do not have a substance use disorder.
“In addition, the NSDUH findings about past-year increased use of marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine and LSD highlight the critical need to increase access to high-quality, evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders. The AMA urges policymakers to remove all financial, administrative and other barriers to treatment for substance use disorders and mental health care.”
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About the American Medical Association
The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises and, driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care.
