PA Attorney General to Join Interdisciplinary Seminar on Opioid Epidemic

The next Forensic Fridays seminar at Duquesne will take a look at the opioid crisis plaguing America, including why overdoses from and addictions to prescription opioids have increased over the past several years and what is being done to stem the tide.

Hosted by the Wecht Institute of Forensic Science and Law, Opioids in America: The Science, Law and Policy of a National Epidemic will be held on Friday, Oct. 27, in the Africa Room as well, as via live video stream. The event is co-sponsored by the University’s Chronic Pain Research Consortium and the Schools of Nursing and Pharmacy.

An interdisciplinary lineup of speakers will address topics ranging from what opioids are and how they work, to cutting-edge research on pain and addiction, to the investigation of manufacturers and distributors, and more. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro will give a special lunchtime presentation.

“Every day, 91 Americans die from opioid overdoses, and some two million are addicted to prescription pain relievers,” said Ben Wecht, the institute’s administrator. “Given the multifaceted nature of the problem and the many different types of professionals involved, it’s important that we address it from a professional, interdisciplinary perspective in an effort to define a path forward. That’s the goal of this program.”

The following continuing education opportunities are available for attending the seminar:

• 6 hours of substantive Continuing Legal Education credit
• 6 hours of Continuing Nursing Education credit
• 6.5 hours of Social Work Continuing Education credit
• 6 hours of Coroners’ Continuing Education credit
• 4 hours of Continuing Pharmacy Education credit.

For more information, including a full list of speakers, and to register, visit www.duq.edu/forensics, email wechtinstitute@duq.edu or call 412.396.1330.