Tabak, Volkow, Koob Represent NIH at Rx Summit

Dr. Lawrence Tabak, performing the duties of NIH director, talks about HEAL progress.

Photo:  Pierce Harman/HMP Global

Dr. Lawrence Tabak, performing the duties of NIH director, traveled to Atlanta for the 12th annual Rx and Illicit Drug Summit, which was held at the Georgia World Congress Center. The three-day summit, the nation’s largest annual gathering to address the drug overdose epidemic, brings together people from diverse personal and professional backgrounds to discuss effective strategies for prevention, treatment and recovery.

On Apr. 11, Tabak presented at an afternoon plenary session “State of the Science: Updates from the National Institutes of Health.” Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and Dr. George Koob, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, also participated.

Tabak discussed research progress made by the NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL ) Initiative. 

With its support of more than 1,000 projects across the nation, HEAL aims to prevent addiction through enhanced pain management, while seeking better ways to improve prevention and treatment for opioid use disorder and addiction.

Volkow spoke about the challenges of addressing the overdose crisis in the era of fentanyl, implementation science (including expanding access to naloxone), prevention and the importance of screening/addressing substance use.

Koob talked about how tackling alcohol misuse in individuals with chronic pain and opioid use disorder may help improve patient outcomes.