Editorial Comment 9/17: Acquiring perspectives and communicating perspectives

1. In context with the lead article, The Future of Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids (RAND), consider examining a text edited by David F. Musto, One Hundred Years of Heroin (Auburn House 2002).  Cited in several national conference presentations in the past year, it is a compilation of 14 articles dovetailed to form a coherent history of the archetypal opioid of misuse. The book provides multiple perspectives ranging from neurophysiology to the political response to the endemic, and featuring authors of such diversity as Bill White, Herb Kleber, Bob DuPont, and Daniel Patrick Moynihan.  …Why the plug?  Because of the serialized hype surrounding synthetic opioids of misuse, of which only the most recent are fentanyl and sufentanil (sic).  As misuse of historical accounts and abuse of citations have returned to vogue among too many politicians, it is more important to make use of an informed, deep examination of the oldest player in the opioid addiction world.
2. This week approximately 70 ASAM members have gathered in Washington, D.C., to meet with individual Senators and Representatives, in what has become known as “Hill Day”.  The express intent is to represent addiction intervention and treatment needs to Congress; the almost-equally exigent purpose is to provide a real face and name to those who represent us, at a time when much in the media is suspect.  The participants have come at personal expense, without emolument or benefit other than to have better served the ill.  While that all sounds noble and generous – which, BTW, it is - it is also hard work: participants need to be prepared, to have read and digested and organized the truths of addiction medicine.  Horror of horrors, it is the oral boards exam again; and yet, they come willingly.  Bravely.  And completely cheerfully.

- William Haning, MD, DFAPA, DFASAM