Auburn’s Harrison School of Pharmacy announced Monday in a press release that it has established the Center for Opioid Research, Education and Outreach (COACH).
The center will unify several different ongoing programs and research projects that already existed within the school of pharmacy.
“Creation of this center allows us to house multiple programs under one umbrella and expand our opportunities for fighting the opioid epidemic and related substance use and abuse disorders,” said Dr. Richard A. Hansen, dean of the Harrison School of Pharmacy.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of 2017 (most recent data available), Alabama had the highest opioid prescribing rate in the country at 121 prescriptions for every 100 Alabamians.
The Alabama Department of Public Health’s data shows that 419 Alabamians died of an opioid overdose in 2017. Additionally, 2,180 Alabamians were forced to visit the emergency room due to an opioid overdose in 2018.
“Clearly, there is a need for help battling the opioid epidemic and, as a land grant institution, Auburn University has a responsibility to help,” said Hansen. “In particular, the Harrison School of Pharmacy has an extensive portfolio of opioid-related work and we are prepared to be the go-to resource in the region.”
Dr. Karen Marlowe, assistant dean and professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice, will be the director of the center.
“The opioid issue in Alabama is a complex problem and will require a multifaceted solution,” said Marlowe. “The center allows for faculty and professionals from individual disciplines to combine their efforts to achieve outcomes that may not have been possible without an organized structure. By bringing together these different experts, we will be able to look at different aspects of this problem and present different research education, and outreach proposals to move the state forward.”
Auburn interim President Jay Gogue and Provost Bill Hardgrave supported the creation of COACH in light of the seriousness of Alabama’s opioid problem.
“We are thankful for the support from the university administration. Their support creates the infrastructure to bring an interdisciplinary team together to address the opioid crisis,” said Marlowe. “The support is a clear indicator that the university community recognizes and accepts its responsibility as a land-grant institution to address this public health crisis in Alabama.”
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95.
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