Join March All-Participants Meeting at 3PM Eastern including Presentation from the Stanford–Lancet Commission on the North American Opioid Crisis

CEPOP will be hosting its March All-Participants Teleconference today at 3:00pm EST. Today’s meeting will include a presentation from Keith Humphreys of the Stanford–Lancet Commission on the North American Opioid Crisis on the Commission’s recently released report.

CEPOP All-Participants Teleconference (March 2022)

  • To join WebEx, please CLICK HERE
  • Or, to join via conference call:
    • Conference Line: (855) 244-8681
    • Participant Code: 299 655 082

DEA Announces Commitment to Expand MAT Access

Last week, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Diversion Control Division announced their commitment to expand medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for people with opioid-related substance use disorder. Since 2021, DEA has collaborated with federal, state, and local partners on several initiatives to expand access to MAT, including programs that provide exemptions for healthcare providers to allow them to dispense three-day supplies of buprenorphine and methadone and a partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services to regularly engage with pharmacists and providers about MAT. In a press release, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said, “In this moment, when the United States is suffering tens of thousands of opioid-related overdose deaths every year, the DEA’s top priority is doing everything in our power to save lives. Medication-assisted treatment helps those who are fighting to overcome substance use disorder by sustaining recovery and preventing overdoses. At DEA, our goal is simple: we want medication-assisted treatment to be readily and safely available to anyone in the country who needs it.”

Articles & Resources

DEA – DEA’s Commitment to Expanding Access to Medication-Assisted Treatment


Operation Engage Initiative to Reduce Drug Use and Overdose Deaths Continues for Second Year

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) launched its second year of Operation Engage, an initiative aimed at reducing drug use and overdoses through evidence-based prevention approaches and community outreach. The initiative expands upon the DEA’s 360 Strategy, an approach focused on opioids, by encouraging each DEA field division to identify their jurisdiction’s primary drug threat and collaborate with healthcare professionals and community organizations to implement community-based solutions, provide long-term support, and build drug-free communities. The Operation Engage targets for 2022 are Spokane, Washington, Manchester, New Hampshire, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Southern California, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Broward County, Florida, Kalamazoo, Michigan, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Yavapai County, Arizona, and Kansas City, Missouri.

Articles & Resources

DEA – What is Operation Engage?

DEA – DEA Launches Second Year of Operation Engage


What We Read Last Week

Several articles were published last week pertaining to the opioid epidemic, covering a variety of different components of the issue. Links to relevant articles are provided below.

Health Affairs – Northeast Postacute Medical Facilities Disproportionately Reject Referrals For Patients With Opioid Use Disorder

Health Affairs – The Effect Of Clinician Feedback Interventions On Opioid Prescribing

Law360 – Grocery Chain Says Insurers Must Cover Opioid Suits

MedCity News – Money flows into addiction tech, but will it curb soaring opioid overdose deaths?

NPR – Oregon has funding for addiction recovery programs, but not enough employees

Senate HELP – Senator Burr Urges Federal Officials to Apply Lessons from Pandemic to Address Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Challenges

Senator Angus King – King Urges Defense Heads to Address “Lack of Urgency” in Cracking Down on International Drug Trafficking

Senator Rick Scott – Sen. Rick Scott to Secretary Mayorkas & Commissioner Magnus: As Fentanyl Crisis Plagues American Families, DHS Must Update 22-Year-Old Drug Interdiction Guidance

Senator Tammy Baldwin – Senator Baldwin Votes for Legislation that Increases Support for Mental Health Services, and Does More to Take on Opioid Epidemic

STAT – Teva and Allergan reach $107 million deal with Rhode Island over opioid crisis

STAT – The case for decriminalizing the street sale of buprenorphine

USC – A Conversation on the Biden-Harris Administration’s Drug Control Policy


This Week’s Calendar

In the week ahead, there are no relevant events or hearings noticed at this time. In the event that there are any changes to the schedule for this week, we will make additional information available.


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