ID & the Opioid Epidemic: Advocacy and Resource Efforts

Continued Advocacy for the Opioid Response & ID

IDSA and HIVMA continue to lead advocacy for a well-resourced federal response to the opioid epidemic and its infectious diseases consequences. Our societies recently led a sign-on letter effort signed by over 50 organizations urging Congress to allocate at least $58 million in new resources for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to address the ID impacts of the opioid epidemic, including infective endocarditis, viral hepatitis, HIV and other infections. This investment can be used to enhance surveillance, prevention, detection and linkages to care for the scope of infectious diseases associated with injection drug use.

IDSA and HIVMA also continue working to strengthen the workforce necessary to address the opioid epidemic, including its ID impacts. As the Healthcare Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) prepares to implement the new Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Program, IDSA and HIVMA are urging the agency to include ID/HIV clinicians who care for patients with infectious diseases related to substance use. 

Clinical Guidance & Support

The ID & the Opioid Epidemic online resource center has been updated to include recordings of relevant IDWeek 2018 sessions and sources for clinical guidance such as Support for Hospital Opioid Use Treatment (SHOUT) and the UCSF Clinical Consultation Center’s warmline for Substance Use Treatment Management. A Medication Assistance Treatment Waiver Course also will be held as a pre-meeting workshop prior to IDWeek 2019 on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 1 - 5 pm ET.