The opioid abuse epidemic is a complex and multifaceted issue that progressed over decades of federal policy and clinical practice that encouraged prescription opioids as the primary option for pain management. But recent media coverage does not provide the full picture and leaves out important details about the epidemic and its origins.

A comprehensive understanding of the multiple drivers of the opioid abuse epidemic is key to moving forward with solutions to address this public health crisis.

Last week, Allied Against Opioid Abuse (AAOA) partners, the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) and the PA Foundation, joined HDA at the Distribution Management Conference and Expo (DMC) for a discussion about how we are working together to educate and raise awareness about the rights, risks and responsibilities associated with prescription opioids.

With a new year in full swing, HDA President and CEO John M. Gray looked ahead to the organization’s 2019 priorities (along with other industry association executives) as part of the Chain Drug Review “Pharmacy Outlook” feature.

A new report by Avalere Health, "Trends in Opioid Use: History, Background, and Origins of the Epidemic," comes at a critical point in the broader discussion about opioid abuse and misuse, and provides important context around the clinical, regulatory and policy milestones that contributed to the public health epidemic and impacted the national response to the crisis.

For the past several months, HDA has been collaborating with our pharmacy partners at Allied Against Opioid Abuse (AAOA), the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) and the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA), to develop a suite of resources specific to the pharmacy community. We are pleased that last week, those resources were mailed to thousands of pharmacists across the country and released online at www.AgainstOpioidAbuse.org/PharmacyToolkit.