Educational Series Will Help New York Pharmacists Combat Opioids

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Pharmacists in New York will have an opportunity to learn how they can help combat the opioid epidemic.

A new educational series targeted to pharmacists is planned to help them find practices to reduce the harm caused by opioids, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced on Wednesday. The series is free to all pharmacists in the state. The virtual course will be led by a team of multi-disciplinary experts working to end the opioid crisis in New York.

"The opioid epidemic has caused untold devastation across the country, which is why Suffolk became the first county in New York State to sue the drug makers in connection with this crisis," Bellone stated. "In Suffolk, we are committed to exploring all options when it comes to reducing opioid overdoses and deaths. This new series is the latest tool in our belts and I encourage all pharmacists to take advantage of the continuing education being offered to them on behalf of our community."

The educational series is set to begin on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. It is planned to continue on Oct. 17, Oct. 24 and Oct. 31, all starting at 9 a.m.

Pharmacists who participate may choose to attend any number of sessions. Continuing Education credit has been approved for up to six live Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or 0.6 Contact Hours of live Continuing Education, according to the county.

Pharmacists can register for the opioid educational series here.

Topics are set to include:

• Reducing overdose deaths through increasing access to naloxone.
• Equity in access.
• Medication for opioid use disorder.
• COVID-19 services.
• Medication for addiction treatment.
• Pharmacology, misconceptions, and myths.
• Harm reduction.
• Optimizing pharmacy interventions in New York State, and the legal dimensions in responding to the opioid crisis.

The educational series is co-sponsored by the National Institutes of Health HEAL Initiative Planning Committee of Cayuga, Columbia, Putnam, and Suffolk counties and the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

The courses set to be offered are:

• Sunday, Oct. 3: The Opioid Epidemic, Impacts of COVID-19 & How Pharmacists Can Reduce Overdose Deaths Through Increasing Access to Naloxone (0.075 CEUs) and Equity in Access: Naloxone, MOUD, & COVID-19 Services (0.075 CEUs). Register by Oct. 1.
• Sunday, Oct. 17: Medication For Addiction Treatment: Pharmacology, Misconceptions, and Myths. (0.15 CEUs) Register by Oct. 15.
• Sunday, Oct. 24: Harm Reduction for Pharmacists (0.075 CEUs) and Optimizing Pharmacy Interventions in New York State. (0.075 CEUs) Register by Oct. 22.
• Sunday, Oct. 31: Response to the Opioid Crisis: Legal Dimensions & Harm Reduction.( 0.15 CEUs) Register by Oct. 29.