ASA Leaders Offer Specialty's Unique Expertise to Trump Administration SUD Initiative

Representatives of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) met with the staff leading the Trump Administration’s new Great American Recovery Initiative (GRI) to discuss opportunities for collaboration in addressing substance use disorder (SUD) and advancing safer pain care. The meeting was attended by ASA President Pat Giam, M.D., and Bonnie Milas, M.D., a prominent ASA spokesperson on substance use and abuse. Drs. Giam and Milas explained that anesthesiologists play a uniquely comprehensive role across the continuum of care—often managing a patient’s first exposure to pain treatment during surgery while also leading efforts in acute and chronic pain medicine. This dual responsibility positions anesthesiologists at a critical intersection of prevention and treatment, where they can reduce initial opioid exposure through multimodal, opioid-sparing approaches and ensure patients receive effective, evidence-based pain relief.

During the discussion, ASA highlighted its leadership in advancing opioid-sparing surgical care, improving acute postoperative pain management, launching the REVIVEme initiative and expanding access to non-opioid and interventional therapies for ongoing pain conditions. Drs. Giam and Milas shared personal vignettes illustrating that from the operating room to recovery and beyond, anesthesiologists are central to delivering high-quality, patient-centered pain care that both addresses immediate surgical pain and reduces the risk of long-term opioid use. ASA expressed a strong interest in partnering with the Administration to align policies, expand education, and support innovative approaches that improve outcomes while strengthening the nation’s response to addiction.