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Congressman Krishnamoorthi Holds Roundtable with Experts on Prevention Strategies for Combatting the Opioid Epidemic

July 31, 2018

WHEATON, IL – Yesterday, at the DuPage County Board of health in Wheaton, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi held a roundtable discussion of the opioid epidemic focused on opioid addiction prevention strategies. The Congressman heard from local experts working to combat the epidemic from a range of fields including doctors, public health officials, educators, law enforcement officers, and addiction specialists as WGN's Pete McMurray hosted the roundtable.

"I'm grateful to Pete McMurray and our panel of experts combatting the opioid epidemic on the front lines for bringing such a depth of experience and range of policy solutions to the table to help prevent many more people from having to face the menace of addiction," said Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi. "This is a public health crisis which has ravaged communities across the country but through increased education, communication, coordination, and treatment, we can prevent addiction before it starts as we strengthen treatment programs for those already afflicted with the disease. While federal anti-opioid initiatives can provide essential support for local efforts, the opioid epidemic will only ultimately be ended by those on the front lines."

During the discussion, Congressman Krishnamoorthi also discussed his bill, the Post-Surgical Injections as an Opioid Alternative Act which would expand access to non-opioid pain management treatments administered directly by doctors, such as epidurals, decreasing the demand for highly-addictive opioid drugs. In June, the House approved the legislation as part of H.R. 6, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, a bipartisan package of opioid prevention, recovery, and treatment bills.