Harvard panels tackle opioid crisis
The Ed Portal and the Harvard Chan School each brought together experts last week to discuss how the nation’s opioid crisis developed and possible responses in health and policy. Reports on the panel discussions follow. Slow progress against indiscriminate foe If you think the opioid epidemic hits only a certain segment of the population, think again. In recent findings from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health nearly four in 10 Massachusetts residents report knowing someone who has misused prescription painkillers in the past five years. “The opioid crisis has affected the entire nation across many different demographics; no demographic has been excluded,” said Gregory Curfman, editor in chief of Harvard Health Publications and lead faculty member on “OpioidX: The Opioid Crisis in America.” “It is the most important public health problem facing our country today and continues unabated resulting in tremendous morbidity and mortality from overdose.” On Wednesday Curfman led a Harvard...