The Opioid Epidemic: A Pain For The Masses

Unbiased Science

@unbiasedscipod

Education, Science, Health & Fitness

4.4 • 644 Ratings

🗓️ 6 December 2023

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

On this week's episode of the pod, we are joined by Dr. Ryan Marino (medical toxicologist, ER doc, and addiction specialist) to discuss the opioid crisis. We kick things off with some statistics on opioid use and overdoses and the array of health and social problems caused by the high prevalence of opioid use disorder. We take a step back to discuss the biochemistry of opioids, starting with the history of the oldest known drug, the opium poppy. We discuss the mechanism of action and some key differences between different opiates. We chat about the different waves of opioid overdose deaths and the factors that influenced them. We don't shy away from controversy (we never do!) and discuss the erosion of trust in regulatory and industry agencies that the opioid epidemic has caused. We describe the multiple factors, missteps, and failures that have brought us to this point and some of the ways that we might be able to combat this issue. You don't want to miss this important discussion! Interested in advertising with us? Please reach out to advertising@airwavemedia.com, with “Unbiased Science” in the subject line. PLEASE NOTE: The discussion and information provided in this podcast are for general educational, scientific, and informational purposes only and are not intended as, and should not be treated as, medical or other professional advice for any particular individual or individuals. Every person and medical issue is different, and diagnosis and treatment requires consideration of specific facts often unique to the individual. As such, the information contained in this podcast should not be used as a substitute for consultation with and/or treatment by a doctor or other medical professional. If you are experiencing any medical issue or have any medical concern, you should consult with a doctor or other medical professional. Further, due to the inherent limitations of a podcast such as this as well as ongoing scientific developments, we do not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information or analysis provided in this podcast, although, of course we always endeavor to provide comprehensive information and analysis. In no event may Unbiased Science or any of the participants in this podcast be held liable to the listener or anyone else for any decision allegedly made or action allegedly taken or not taken allegedly in reliance on the discussion or information in this podcast or for any damages allegedly resulting from such reliance. The information provided herein do not represent the views of our employers.

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to an Airwave Media podcast.
0:19.7	Welcome to Unbiased Science, where we bring scientific method to the madness.
0:25.9	We're your host, Dr. Jessica Steyer and Dr. Andrea Love.
0:29.9	And this week, we are joined by a special guest to discuss a controversial, excuse me, controversial and often misunderstood topic that is
0:40.5	rife with misinformation and misconceptions. Opioids and the opioid epidemic. So we're joined by
0:48.7	Dr. Ryan Marino, who's a medical toxicologist, emergency physician, and addiction medicine specialist,
0:56.1	an assistant professor in the departments of emergency medicine and psychiatry
1:00.5	at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio.
1:06.6	He is active in clinical practice, teaching, and research, and runs an addiction bridge clinic at Cleveland Medical Center.
1:15.8	His interest in poisonings and substance use disorder began during his training leading up to the early years of the opioid epidemic.
1:24.1	In particularly hard-hit regions of Western Pennsylvania, where he completed medical education,
1:30.3	residency, and fellowship training at the University of Pittsburgh, and worked both clinically
1:35.1	and on substance use research at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center before returning
1:40.1	home to Northeast Ohio and Case Western. The intersection of his three specialties is
1:46.6	uniquely suited to the topics of drugs and the effects that they have. His research and advocacy
1:53.1	work focuses on better understanding and best practice medical management of substance use
1:58.7	disorders, reducing barriers for both patients and providers in treating substance use disorders, reducing barriers for both patients and providers
2:02.7	in treating substance use disorders, and combating stigma and misinformation. Outside of addiction
2:09.4	work, he's also active in identifying and addressing social determinants of health and advocating
2:14.8	for patients who have been traditionally overlooked by the medical
2:18.0	establishment. And we'll link to all of this on our show notes, but you can find him on
2:22.8	Twitter or X at Ryan Marino and on YouTube at Ryan M.D. All right. So let's get into it by setting
	...

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