AAPA
AAPA President Josanne Pagel with U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy at the HHS Office on Women's Health (OWH) National Meeting on Opioid Use, Abuse and Overdose in Women last Thursday. Pagel was part of the national conversation to examine the unique prevention, treatment, and recovery issues for women who use, abuse, or overdose on opioids. This meeting will build upon the HHS Secretary's opioid initiative, examining the unique and specific needs of women in the context of that epidemic. September is Pain Awareness Month.

On July 22, in response to pressure from AAPA and other national groups, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) was signed into law. PAs will soon be eligible to become waivered to prescribe buprenorphine for five years as part of medication assisted treatment (MAT) for the treatment of opioid addiction with the passage of this legislation. CARA was overwhelmingly passed by Congress.