Episode Details

Overdose death rates in the U.S. reached record highs during the pandemic. Stephanie Desmon talks to Sika Yeboah Sampong about a recent report from the Legal Action Center about the role of emergency departments in saving lives from overdose. Clinicians can screen for and diagnose addiction, provide life-saving therapy, and refer to ongoing care. Many emergency departments, Yeboah Sampong argues, are failing to provide care backed by evidence -- and could be in legal jeopardy as a result. Read the full report here: https://americanhealth.jhu.edu/addiction-emergency