Drug Czar Issues Challenge to Docs: Help Us Devise Better Substance Use Tx Options

— Become part of the addiction treatment system, Gupta urges AMA members

by Joyce Frieden, Washington Editor, MedPage Today

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration's drug czar has a challenge for America's doctors, especially members of the American Medical Association (AMA): help figure out the best way to treat substance use disorder (SUD) patients.

"While the Biden administration has improved access to care for millions of people with OUD [opioid use disorder], we've got a lot more work to do," Rahul Gupta, MD, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said Tuesday at the AMA's National Advocacy Conference here. "This is where we need your help. We need more docs screening and case-finding for SUD across all subspecialties. We need more curriculum on SUD because I can tell you, if we're not taught something, we're not interested in it ... and that has a lot of consequences."

"We really need more folks across our profession to help figure out how to treat patients with SUD," he continued. "I don't think it's any different than diabetes or hypertension or heart disease; it's another thing we can do for our patients. And we can't do that without your help. My ask is, let's help ourselves build an addiction infrastructure that we need by becoming a part of it."

A bigger workforce is also needed, Gupta said. "One of the things we're working on is making sure we have the workforce of the future. We've got more providers, more loan repayment programs, minority fellowships, and other things we can do to get more providers into the country. We need the next generation of providers."

Gupta concluded his remarks with a personal plea to his fellow AMA members. "I've been a member of the AMA since my first year of internship," he said. "I've been president of my county medical society and state medical society ... I know the power of organized medicine. When the AMA gets behind an idea, it changes hearts and it changes minds. And most importantly, you can help change this policy."

(From MedPage today, February 2023).

SFMMS and CMA Past-President Bradford Cohn, MD

On December 29, 2022 in Napa, Dr. Brad Cohn passed away at the age of 95. A third-generation Californian, born in San Francisco, he was educated there and in Santa Rosa. After serving in the Navy during WW II, he graduated from U.C. Berkeley and completed his medical studies at U.C.S.F. and postgraduate education at McGill and Harvard. A board certified pediatrician, Dr. Cohn joined his father in practice in San Francisco where he continued to minister to children for 40 years, retiring to Napa.

Dr Cohn was a U.C.S.F. Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Chief of Pediatrics at St Mary's Hospital, maintaining an active role in teaching colleagues. He was President of the San Francisco and California Medical Association, and was Chairman of the California Delegation to the A.M.A. and the Professional Liability Committees of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He had a career spanning role with both the California Legislature and the Congress in promoting quality medical care for all Americans, and sound child health legislation. Dr Cohn was a founder of Medical Insurance Exchange of California and Chairman of its Board.

Dr. Cohn is survived by his loving wife, Cheryl, a son Lee of San Rafael, and a daughter Caren of Rohnert Park.

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