The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) will welcome the Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Michael Botticelli to a town hall session on July 21.
Botticelli will address the AOA House
of Delegates meeting in Chicago.
Botticelli will lead the discussion with osteopathic physicians (DOs) on ways to prevent opioid addition. He will also discuss methods of refocusing the ongoing dialogue regarding substance abuse disorders and reframing addiction as a medical problem, not a moral issue.
As a recovering alcoholic, Botticelli brings a new perspective to the opioid abuse epidemic. With more than 23 million Americans in substance abuse recovery, alternative methods of pain relief that avoid the use of opioids is an important topic for physicians. During the panel discussion, the participants will focus on non-opioid therapies.
Over the last 16 years, opioid drug overdose deaths have increased by 200 percent in the U.S. Illinois has seen an increase in drug overdose deaths of more than 8 percent between 2013 and 2014.
As one of the fastest growing professions in the health care field, osteopathic medicine represents a patient-centered, hands-on approach to health and well-being. Osteopathic physicians focus on holistic treatment, health education and disease prevention.
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