Addiction by Prescription: Preventing and Treating Opioid Dependence

For Immediate Release - October 13, 2009 - (TORONTO) - There is a growing interest in better understanding how to prevent and treat opioid dependence. It is difficult to accurately assess the extent of the problem, though in some Northern Ontario communities the problem is so extensive that community leaders, particularly in some Aboriginal communities, have called it an epidemic. In order to address these concerns, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is proud to partner with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) to provide an important event: the Pamela Fralick Community Information Forum on Addiction.

This forum is part of the CAMH's broader public education efforts aimed at increasing understanding of addiction and mental health issues and helping Ontarians to make informed decisions about their health care.
This annual forum is named after Pamela Fralick, former Chair of the CAMH Board of Trustees, whose personal dedication to raising awareness of addiction issues across Ontario is honoured in this way.

The forum will provide an opportunity to discuss the importance of balancing the pain management benefits of prescribed opioids, as well as measures used to prevent misuse, abuse, and diversion. This forum will also include a four-person panel, and a presentation on the complex nature of prescribed opioids and on working with patients who have a substance use disorder. Information will be provided about:

- methadone maintenance and resources that are available;
- issues impacting on Aboriginal communities;
- a clinical research perspective; and,
- a perspective from a person formerly addicted to opioids.

This Continuing Education event is for physicians, surgeons, dentists (those who can prescribe opioids) and an inter-professional audience
including: addiction and mental health workers, frontline emergency personnel, hospital staff, pharmacists, public health and others, and is therefore closed to the general public. Media are welcome to attend and interview members of the panel.

Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2009
9:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. EST
(Media interviews are available at 9:15 a.m.; the forum will begin promptly at 9:30 a.m. Questions may also be asked after the forum is complete.)

Speaker: Dr. David C. Marsh, MD, CCSAM, Medical Director -
Addiction, HIV/AIDS & Aboriginal Health Services, Vancouver Coastal Health

Welcome Dr. Roger Strasser, Dean, Northern Ontario School of
Medicine
Remarks:
Mr. Rob Moore, Provincial Services Director, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)

Panel Members: Christine Bois, CAMH Manager of Provincial OPIATE
Project

Cristine Rego, CAMH Provincial Aboriginal Training Consultant

Beth Sproule, CAMH Advanced Practice Pharmacist/Clinical Scientist

Keith, a person with lived experience

Locations: Live presentation at NOSM East Campus, Health Science
Education Resource Centre (HSERC) Room 109, Laurentian University, Sudbury and video-linked to NOSM West Campus, Balmoral Street Centre
(BSC) Room 2002, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay

Limited seating is available at each presentation site. Please contact Sherry Mongeau at (705) 662-7257 or e-mail sherry.mongeau@normed.ca to reserve your seat. This live webcast may also be viewed on www.nosm.ca (please go to the Live & Archived Webcasts button under Quick Finds).
Log in prior to the event for webcast setup and details.

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine is a pioneering faculty of medicine. The School is a joint initiative of Lakehead and Laurentian Universities with main campuses in Thunder Bay and Sudbury, and multiple teaching and research sites across Northern Ontario. By educating skilled physicians and undertaking health research suited to community needs, the School will become a cornerstone of community health care in Northern Ontario.

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For further information, please contact:

Michael Torres, CAMH Media Relations; (416) 595-6015 or media@camh.net