Obstacles to the Development and Use of Pharmacotherapies for Addiction

The Law & Health Care Program at the University of Maryland School of Law invites you to attend Obstacles to the Development and Use of Pharmacotherapies for Addiction. The event is co-sponsored by Physicians and Lawyers for National Drug Policy and the Open Society Institute-Baltimore. In recent years, there has been a growing understanding that alcohol and other drug addictions are chronic diseases that require long-term relapse prevention therapy. At the same time that our understanding of addiction as a chronic disease has developed, so has the ability to treat patients with pharmacotherapies. While there is an increasing body of evidence that the use of pharmacotherapies to treat alcohol and other addictions is both clinically and cost effective, there are still a number of obstacles that exist to their development and use in the therapeutic setting. This conference will explore the various impediments that stand in the way of a more robust acceptance of such treatment by health care providers, patients, regulators, and the courts. Panelists at the conference will discuss the obstacles that exist at each stage of medication development and uptake, including challenges for pharmaceutical companies; obstacles relating to clinical trials and the FDA approval process; patient reluctance to use and provider reluctance to screen for, and prescribe, medications to treat addiction; and gaps in insurance coverage for these medications. Because a significant number of individuals receive treatment for their addictions through the justice system, a conference panel will be devoted to discussing the experience of drug court judges and the work of scholars who have studied the use of such treatment in the courts and prisons. The intended audience for this conference includes lawyers, health care providers and health policy makers who work on issues related to alcohol and other addictions. The conference fee is $25. For additional information and to register on-line, please visit the conference website: www.law.umaryland.edu/healthlaw2008. Public parking is available in the Baltimore Grand Garage across from the School of Law. The entrance is on Paca Street. Parking fees are the responsibility of the participant. If you require special accommodations to attend or participate, please provide information about your requirements to Lu Ann Marshall, 410-706-4128 (1-800-735-2258 TTY/VOICE), lmarshal@law.umaryland.edu, at least five business days in advance.