Drug Topics CPE: changing format to meet your needs

The United States is in an unrelenting epidemic of opioid use, misuse, dependence, and addiction, yet myths and stereotypes among pharmacy staff and the public about this patient population inhibit patients' entry into treatment and their efforts to recover, leading to overdoses and deaths. For patients, pharmacists are essential front-line partners who not only recognize risk factors for and symptoms of opioid dependence, addiction, withdrawal, and overdose, but also can communicate these risks in a non threatening fashion, so that patients are aware of the pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic options for treatment of their opioid use disorders.