American Association of Naturopathic Physicians Applauds AMA "Call to Action" to Prevent Opioid Misuse

AANP Offers Education Resources and Expertise to Help Prevent Opioid Misuse (Washington, DC) - The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP), the professional association that represents licensed naturopathic physicians, applauds the decision of the American Medical Association (AMA) to help prevent opioid misuse. The AANP is pleased to offer naturopathic physicians as an education resource in this area. On February 18, AMA president Steven J. Stack, MD, issued a Call to Action to the nation's physicians and physicians-in-training. He encouraged physicians to increase their efforts in the fight against opioid misuse. Additionally, Dr. Stack stressed that physicians ensure they are current in their knowledge and training as to when an opioid is appropriate - and when it is not. "Naturopathic physicians are experts in establishing a foundation for optimal wellness with a health promoting lifestyle. This is critical for addressing chronic pain and opioid misuse or dependency issues," said Jaclyn Chasse, ND, AANP president. "Such a foundation may include individualized improvements to diet, stress reduction, restful sleep, appropriate therapeutic exercise, and other treatments." In a recent national survey conducted by the AMA, it found that 1-in-4 physicians said that continuing medical education on this issue was not readily available for their specialty or did not directly address their practice needs. According to the survey, there are currently gaps in addressing overdose prevention and treatment of substance use disorders as well. Only 15 percent of the surveyed physicians had taken education on medication-assisted treatment. "There is a tremendous need for education in this area," said Ryan Cliche, AANP executive director. "We encourage medical societies and medical education companies to collaborate with AANP on this effort. As a leading physician group that provides whole-body wellness care using natural modalities, AANP offers continuing education in this area. We can help you design a program for your specialty and provide naturopathic physician speakers."