AMA Calls on CDC to Help Combat Prescription Drug Abuse

At the American Medical Association (AMA), physicians voted to support a proposal for a more practical approach in preventing death from prescription pain medications.

Specifically, the proposal calls on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help provide required information in order to develop appropriate solutions. The AMA will urge the CDC to promote a standard approach for “documenting and assessing unintentional poisonings and deaths involving controlled substances for pain relief,” stated Patrice Harris, MD, an AMA Board Member.

According to the AMA, the CDC is in a key position to promote a standard approach that can help identify key trends and guide effective preventive measures. A standardized method of data collection and analysis has helped public health officials, law enforcement, and policy makers address other national epidemics.

For more information call (800) 262-3211 or visit AMA-ASSN.org.

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