"President Trump Declares Opioid Crisis A Public Health Emergency"
President Donald Trump is directing his Department of Health and Human Services to declare the opioid crisis a nationwide public health emergency under the Public Health Service Act. It will give states the ability to shift funds away from other medical issues such as HIV, diabetes and maternal care to provide more opioid treatments. According to the Centers for Disease Control more than 50,000 Americans died of opioid overdoses last year. “We’re not winning the battle. Right now the opioid crisis is getting worse. There are more people dying. There are more people getting addicted than ever before,” said Michael Fiori, MD, director of addiction services at Mount Sinai Beth Israel and senior faculty of psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “Politicians can speak out and declare a crisis, but the question is what are they willing to help turn into real action.” Dr. Fiori would like to see the president declare opioid addiction a chronic disease like cancer or diabetes. “To help combat the enormous shame and stigma that people with addictions feel,” Fiori said, adding that Americans need better access to drug treatment programs. “The federal government have fallen short of saying ‘this is a known illness that can be treated, that should be covered by all commercial insurances.'”
- Michael Fiori, MD, Director, Addiction Services, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Senior Faculty, Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
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