The College of Psychiatric & Neurologic Pharmacists (CPNP) and members of its Substance Abuse Task Force are pleased to announce the release of a guideline document intended to educate community pharmacists on interventions they can employ to provide safe and appropriate access to opioids while also protecting the public from the hazards of misuse and abuse. This publication is supported by the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry under its prime grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This guideline document, Opioid Use Disorders: Interventions for Community Pharmacists, provides information on the following:
Similar to CPNP’s newly updated Naloxone Access Guideline for Pharmacists, the Opioid Use Disorders: Interventions for Community Pharmacists will be a living document that is updated and maintained on the CPNP website as a freely available source of information.
Task Force Chair Bethany DiPaula, PharmD, BCPP, Associate Professor at the University of Maryland, noted that the Opioid Use Disorder guide was intended to coalesce key information community pharmacists can put to immediate use.“Pharmacists can play a critical role in preventing and managing overdoses and optimizing care for patients with opioid use disorder. This guideline was designed to serve as an easy reference providing information that can be readily employed by community pharmacists in their everyday practice.”
CPNP’s President Christopher Thomas, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP, Clinical Pharmacy Specialist and Residency Program Director at the Chillicothe VA in Chillicothe OH, pointed to the role that pharmacists can and should play in reducing the opioid overdose epidemic.“It seems that every day brings a new headline about opioid abuse and overdose. Pharmacists can and should play a key role in ensuring safe and appropriate access to an important medication when used properly.”
About CPNP
The College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists (CPNP) envisions a world where every individual with a psychiatric or neurologic disorder has a care team that includes a neuropsychiatric pharmacist accountable for optimal medication therapy. As the voice of the specialty, our mission is to advance the reach and practice of neuropsychiatric pharmacists.
CPNP is a professional association of over 2100 pharmacists who are trained to work directly with patients and caregivers to apply specialized clinical knowledge and skills, educate and train healthcare professionals, and develop new knowledge in order to improve health outcomes for those individuals with psychiatric and neurologic disorders. Members apply evidence-based, cost-efficient best practices as a member of a treatment team to achieve patient recovery and improved quality of life.
Recognizing the comorbid nature of substance abuse and psychiatric disorders, CPNP has made a commitment to define and establish the role of psychiatric and neurologic pharmacists in substance abuse. CPNP is seeking partners for this effort, entering into new alliances, and establishing educational programs to support these efforts.