Dr. Beny J. Primm: Pioneer in Research, Treatment of Addiction and Co-Occurring Disorders

The passing of Beny J. Primm, MD on October 16, 2015 at age 87 brings into sharp focus the various elements of the current heroin and prescription drug abuse epidemic in the US. For 50 years, Dr. Primm had been on the front lines in the use of medication in treating opioid dependence. He was a co-founder of Addiction Research and Treatment Corporation (ARTC) in 1969; now known as START Treatment & Recovery Centers (START), and was its Executive Director for over 40 years. Given the timing of the agency’s founding, Dr. Primm immediately became immersed in the heroin epidemic that was raging among inner-city poor minorities and Vietnam War veterans.

Dr. Primm, left, and Dr. Lawrence Brown, Jr, MPH, DFASAM.

The HIV/AIDS pandemic, which was particularly prevalent in injection drug users, soon followed. Undaunted, Dr. Primm met these challenges head-on, adding primary care and HIV/AIDS care at the same location by the same clinicians, pioneering the concept of “one-stop-shopping” for dealing with substance abuse treatment and co-occurring disorders. The agency also became very active in biomedical and behavioral research in both substance abuse treatment and HIV/AIDS care. I was fortunate to be associated with Dr. Primm and the agency at this point in my career.

These activities brought national attention to Dr. Primm, resulting in his appointment as the first Director of the Office of Treatment Improvement, now known as the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), where he initiated the Treatment Improvement Protocols that remain a trusted resource for substance abuse treatment to this day. Dr. Primm became a Presidential Advisor on HIV/AIDS policy, sitting on the White House Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS. He also was a trusted advisor to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Given this history of extraordinary accomplishments, Dr. Primm’s passing reminds those of us that work in the substance abuse treatment field that we all stand on his able shoulders. He was a 2001 recipient of the John P. McGovern, MD Award and Lecture on Addiction and Society. This award was established by ASAM in 1997 to recognize and honor an individual who has made highly meritorious contributions to public policy, treatment, research or prevention, which has increased our understanding of the relationship of addiction and society. 

Interestingly, Dr. Primm received this award at the same ASAM annual meeting that Andrea Barthwell became the first African-American female President and that I became the first African-American male President-Elect.

For Andrea and myself, this was not surprising as our career paths were influenced by Dr. Primm. For me, the journey began during my second year of medical school.

Given Dr. Primm’s body of work, there could not have been a more deserving recipient of the McGovern Award. Especially for those of us who knew him, we shall never forget his influence on us. More importantly, the many thousands who did not know him, will nonetheless continue to benefit from the wealth of his phenomenal contributions.