Misuse of prescription opioids, such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, is a public health crisis. Addiction and overdose related to prescription opioid misuse continue to rise, and the costs in both human and monitary terms are staggering. Prescription opioids deaths exceed those due to heroin and cocaine combined and they approximate the numbers of fatalities associated with motor vehicle crashes. Paradoxically, the vast majority of the supply of these abused drugs derive from medical professionals through diversion or "doctor shopping." Something can and must be done about this dilemma, which counters the needs of patients with pain against the public health concerns of opioid misuse. This webinar provides insight into the current epidemic and its roots, highlight the clinical and public health consequences of opioid misuse, and provide forward-looking strategies to curb the misuse and associated complications of prescription opioids.

Who Should View This Series? - Physicians, nurses, mid-level providers, and pharmacists who practice in primary care, emergency medicine, addiction medicine, or medical toxicology.