Physician Anesthesiologists Represented at White House Opioid Summit

On Thursday, March 1, ASA Immediate Past President Jeffrey Plagenhoef, M.D., FASA, represented physician anesthesiologists as leaders in pain medicine and patient safety at the White House Opioid Summit.  The Summit, which convened more than 200 individuals impacted by the ongoing opioid abuse epidemic, focused on ways to address the crisis.

During the Summit, First Lady Melania Trump offered opening remarks, followed by panel discussions that included White House Advisor Kellyanne Conway, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Jim Carroll, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan.

ASA is pleased to support private-public partnerships that seek to address the opioid abuse epidemic.  At the event, Dr. Plagenhoef spoke with the Attorney General and Surgeon General Jerome Adams, M.D., about ASA's ongoing efforts.

Last week, ASA also submitted comments to the Senate Committee on Finance including several ways for Congress to address the ongoing opioid abuse epidemic through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) programs.  ASA’s recommendations include increased funding for research, coverage for non-opioid alternatives -- including interventional therapies for chronic pain -- and Congressional support for public-private education initiatives aimed at improving practices in the perioperative setting and encouraging opioid sparing techniques.

Watch a recording of the White House Opioid Summit