Brown University and the Cardinal Health Foundation Host Opioid Management Curriculum Development Symposium

PROVIDENCE, R.I., June 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today and tomorrow, the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and the Cardinal Health Foundation are convening more than 90 faculty members and practitioners from 30 medical schools across the country to begin creating a curriculum that teaches the next generation of physicians core competencies to prevent overprescribing and address prescription drug misuse. 

"This symposium convenes some of the premier educators from around the country," said Allan Tunkel, MD, PhD, associate dean for Medical Education at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.  "Our programs at Brown teach medical students early in their training to avoid overprescribing, to recognize possible addiction and refer patients to treatment, and to provide medication-assisted treatment to those who are addicted have been recognized as innovative and national models. We are excited to share these techniques and to learn about other innovative practices from our colleagues around the country to develop optimal approaches in medical education around this public health emergency."

"We are proud to partner with the Warren Alpert Medical School and 30 leading medical schools in a first-of-its-kind collaboration to tackle this critical public health issue," said Jessie Cannon, vice president of Community Relations at Cardinal Health. "All of the participants share Cardinal Health's commitment to curbing the opioid epidemic. We expect to hear important insights the medical schools will bring to the table and to help integrate the findings into medical school programs across the country to better equip physicians to address the challenge."

Symposium participants will share existing best practices and hear from leading public health experts working at the forefront of the opioid crisis, including former United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. They will work in facilitated breakout sessions that focus on three core elements: safe opioid prescribing, strategies to best engage multidisciplinary teams to better manage pain and treat opioid misuse, and how to meet the Drug Addiction Treatment Act (DATA) waiver requirements that are necessary for physicians to prescribe buprenorphine, a drug used to treat opioid dependence. These collaborative sessions will help create an undergraduate medical education curriculum that trains future doctors how to prevent and treat prescription drug misuse, which will save lives and improve health outcomes across the country. 

"The work accomplished at this symposium will lay a solid framework around important issues related to opioid prescribing in medical education," Tunkel said. "We look forward to seeing the participants continue to work together over the coming months to develop and implement specific recommendations informed by the sessions."

The Warren Alpert Medical School's opioid education and practitioner training curriculum is one of the most advanced in the country. Its curriculum around pain management covers the physiology of pain, the pharmacology of opioids and field work involving opioids and their misuse. In addition, the Warren Alpert Medical School is the first school in the country to have its curriculum approved by a state medical board as sufficient to warrant a DATA waiver.

"We approach opioid use disorder as we do any chronic illness," Tunkel said. "People who suffer from a chronic disease need help from their physicians, and we are committed to training tomorrow's doctors on safe and effective approaches to doing just that."

Cannon stated, "On behalf of the Cardinal Health Foundation and Cardinal Health, I thank all of the participants for lending their expertise and commitment to changing pain management and prescribing practices."

About The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
The Warren Alpert Medical School was founded in 1972 and is the only school of medicine in the state of Rhode Island. It is part of Brown University's Division of Biology and Medicine, whose mission it is to understand and improve the health of individuals and populations and the environments in which they live. For more information, visit med.brown.edu.

About the Cardinal Health Foundation
The Cardinal Health Foundation supports local, national and international programs that improve health care efficiency, effectiveness and excellence and the overall wellness of the communities where Cardinal Health, Inc.'s (NYSE:CAH) approximately 50,000 employees live and work. The Cardinal Health Foundation also offers grants to encourage community service among its employees and works through international agencies to donate much-needed medical supplies and funding to those who need them in times of disaster; because Cardinal Health, Inc. is #AllInForGood. To learn more, visit www.CardinalHealth.com/community.

About the Opioid Action Program
The Opioid Action Program is a multi-prong initiative to help communities in four of the nation's hardest-hit states fight the opioid epidemic. Each element of the program is cited by leading experts, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) and the President's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, as critical to reducing opioid misuse, abuse, and addiction. The Opioid Action Program builds on Generation Rx, created through a partnership with the Cardinal Health Foundation and The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy to raise awareness and knowledge about the dangers of prescription drug misuse.

About Generation Rx
Generation Rx works to end prescription drug misuse through prevention education, drug take back, best practices in pain management and community collaborations. The program was created through a partnership with the Cardinal Health Foundation and The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy. Since 2009, more than one million people across the country have been reached with Generation Rx messages, and pharmacists in 40 states have been honored with the Generation Rx Champions Award. To learn more, visit www.GenerationRx.org.

About Cardinal Health
Cardinal Health, Inc. is a global, integrated healthcare services and products company, providing customized solutions for hospitals, healthcare systems, pharmacies, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories and physician offices worldwide. The company provides clinically proven medical products, pharmaceuticals and cost-effective solutions that enhance supply chain efficiency from hospital to home. Cardinal Health connects patients, providers, payers, pharmacists and manufacturers for integrated care coordination and better patient management. To help combat prescription drug abuse, the company and its education partners created Generation Rx, a national drug education and awareness program. Backed by nearly 100 years of experience, with approximately 50,000 employees in nearly 60 countries, Cardinal Health ranks #14 on the Fortune 500. For more information, visit cardinalhealth.com, follow @CardinalHealth on Twitter, @cardinalhealthwings on Facebook and connect on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/ company/cardinal-health.

SOURCE Cardinal Health Foundation