History of the Opioid Epidemic – How Problems from the 1800s Still Influence Regulations Today
The current opioid epidemic is often referred to as the source of our controlled substance issues and the reason for the ever-tightening regulations. While this is somewhat true, it doesn’t give the full picture. The United States has actually had multiple epidemics of drug diversion since the introduction of opioids in the 1800s, and issues from the 1800s still affect how controlled substances are managed today. This session will give an overview of this history along with key call outs for how this history ties into common questions regarding controlled substance regulations in veterinary medicine. A discussion of Purdue Pharma and how one company managed to spur the current opioid epidemic more than all other opioid manufacturers combined will also be included. Participants will leave with a unique perspective on the ‘why’ behind controlled substance regulations and a bit of insight into why no matter how many regulations are developed, diversion and overdose deaths continue.
- Explain how the history of the opioid epidemic affects current day veterinary controlled drug concerns.
- List ways that the current regulatory landscape is designed to address the opioid epidemic.
- Describe how the opioid epidemic history has affected the scheduling of controlled drugs.
