AUA’s Provost, Dr. Robert Mallin, recently gave a presentation titled “The Opioid Crisis of the 21st Century” at an event hosted by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPIO).

Since the 1990’s, the United States has seen increases in opioid use and overdoses. As of 2016, the number of Americans with an opioid use disorder was 2.1 million and the cost of the crisis was estimated at $504 billion.

According to Dr. Mallin, controlling the over-prescribing of analgesics is one of the most pressing problems in the medical profession today. Educating physicians and the public about the risks associated with these drugs is key to successfully managing the opioid crisis.

AUA would like to thank Dr. Mallin for all of his work to bring attention to this issue.