Anatomy of a Crisis: Lessons from the Opioid Epidemic

Dr. Rob Valuck is a Professor and Director of the CU Health Center. Governor Hickenlooper appointed him to serve as Chair of the Center for the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention.   His expertise is in the opioid prescription epidemic in Colorado and across the US.  And as opioid addiction is an increasing crisis, so are the number of deaths resulting from this crisis.  This is not a presentation on 60-year old drug-crazed hippies on heroin. This is a presentation about college-educated professionals who are addicted to codeine, vicodin, or oxycodone.  This is a result of unintentional over-prescriptions to reduce pain from surgery, broken bones or even dental work. Many of these addicts don't become aware of their addictions until it is almost impossible to stop.  Opioid use is so common that virtually every everyone knows a person who is addicted, or they suspect are addicted, to opioids. Come listen to Dr. Valuck talk to us about the opioid crisis, how it's affecting our family, friends, and co-workers and what we can do about it.

Robert J. 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. Dr. Valuck received his B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Colorado (in 1987), and his Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Pharmacy (in 1992 and 1994) from the University of Illinois at Chicago.  He is licensed to practice Pharmacy in Colorado and Illinois.

To be introduced by Dr. Mark Laitos.