Recorded On: April 5, 2019
Air Date: April 8, 2019
From the City Club of Eugene:
Since 1999 over 400,000 Americans have died from opioid overdoses. The pace of these overdose deaths has accelerated during that period as the number of deaths in 2017 was six times the number of incidents in 1999. On average 130 Americans die from opioid overdoses each day according to the Center for Disease Control. The magnitude of the epidemic has triggered pressure on all levels of government to provide a solution. The opioid epidemic has invaded Land County as well. An article appearing in The Register Guard on November 4, 2018 reported that 40 overdose deaths occurred in the County the previous year, representing a 60% higher rate than Oregon’s overall rate.
Dr. Douglas Bovee, who has devoted his entire medical career to the practice of addiction treatment and recovery provides an overview of the opioid crisis beginning with the evolution of the epidemic and discussion of the theories that recognizes opioid addiction as a brain disease. He offers the basics of opioids, overdoses, and dependency and concludes with discussion of programs that have been initiated in Lane County.
Speaker:
Dr. Bovee is a graduate of the University of Miami Florida School of Medicine and the University of Florida School of Pharmacy. He moved to Eugene in 1992 to become a full time medical specialist at Serenity Lane, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the treatment of addiction. Retiring last summer from that position, he is currently the Medical Director of the Lane County Methadone Treatment Program. He is also the President of the Board of Community Supported Shelters.
Copyright KLCC, 2019
