5 Things Dr. Dennis McCarty Wants You to Know About Treatment and Prevention of Opioid Use Disorder

May 22, 2018

Veronica Wang
Great Lakes ATTC


Dr. Dennis McCarty covered a lot of information in the webinar on April 3, Treatment and Prevention of Opioid Use Disorder: An Overview. The webinar began with a brief history of federal drug policy in the U.S. and medication-assisted treatment of opioid use disorder, and ended with a lively Q&A session with participants.

Here are 5 key points that Dr. McCarty would like you to know about the opioid crisis in the U.S. today:

1. “In the 21stCentury, treatment for OUD requires evidence-based practices, and integration with primary care to better serve its patients.” Listen at: 00:31:10

2. The death rates are much lower among the patients on methadone or buprenorphine (opioid agonist therapy) when compared to patients who are on abstinence only therapy.”  Listen at: 00:40:02

3. “Clearly, the recommendation is to provide pharmacotherapy to support recovery along with counseling or other recovery programs. Ultimately, it’s a patient level decision. What does your patient need?” Listen at: 00:46:16

4. “Despite resistance to the use of medication for the treatment of OUD, it is the thing to do in the 21stCentury.” Listen at: 00:40:28

5. “We need to find the care that works the best for the patient.” Listen at: 00:53:52

Missed the Webinar?


If you missed the webinar, you can visit the Great Lakes ATTC website to view the recorded webinar. You can also download a copy of the webinar FAQ sheet.

Taking Action to Address Opioid Use Disorder


The recorded webinar and FAQ sheet are also available on the ATTC webpage, Taking Action to Address Opioid Use Disorder. This website brings all ATTC resources together in one spot. Watch the website for regular updates about new training curricula, online courses, recorded webinars, and other tools. 

What resources from the ATTC Network or other sources do you use regularly to respond to the opioid epidemic? Share your experience in the comments section below.

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