#4 - Dr. Robert Valuck: Opioids, Benzodiazepines, and Harm Reduction Strategies

I'm Dr. Shelly Mahon, your host, and today’s WELL source is Dr. Rob Valuck. Dr. Valuck is a Professor in the Departments of Clinical Pharmacy, Epidemiology, and Family Medicine at the University of Colorado Schools of Pharmacy, Public Health, and Medicine. He is also the Director of the Center for Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research (CePOR) at the School of Pharmacy.  Finally, Dr. Valuck is the coordinator of the Center Director of the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention, created by Governor Hickenlooper in 2013 to address the prescription drug abuse problem with a collaborative, statewide, interagency approach. In today’s podcast, Dr. Valuck shares: The history of prescribing opioids The potential harm of over prescribing opioids Safe use of opioids for pain reduction Use and misuse of Benzodiazepines Details about the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Harm reduction strategies Take back system for returning unused meds Recognizing use of prescription drugs in the home Predictors of use disorders: ACES: Adverse Childhood Experiences Resource: Speak Now: A program for communicating with your child about drug use Resource: Take Meds Seriously Resource: Bring Naloxone Home