The launch of the Opioid Policy Research Collaborative at Brandeis University was held on November 16, 2017. OPRC launch events included a film screening and panel discussion.
"Warning: This Drug May Kill You" takes an unflinching look at the devastating effects of opioid addiction in the U.S., profiling four families whose lives have been decimated by addictions that all began with legitimate prescriptions to dangerous painkillers. Through the personal and emotional stories of people on the front lines of this epidemic, the film sheds light on the struggles of ordinary people who were prescribed highly addictive opioid pain medications, which are too often the gateway to a very similar opioid, heroin. Featuring home videos and photos that humanize this public health crisis, along with important statistics and information about opioid use and treatment, "Warning: This Drug May Kill You" is an eye-opening look at a terrifying epidemic that is devastating communities across this country, and the toll it has taken on its victims and their families.
The film screening was followed by an expert panel discussion featuring: Perri Peltz, Director of "Warning: This Drug May Kill You," Secretary Marylou Sudders, Massachusetts Secretary of Health and Human Services, Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan, President and CEO of the Dimock Center, and Dr. Andrew Kolodny, Medical consultant for the film and Co- Director of the Opioid Policy Research Collaborative. The panel was moderated by Cynthia McFadden, senior legal and Investigative correspondent for NBC News.
The OPRC Launch was co-sponsored by the Schneider Institutes for Health Policy at Brandeis University, the Brandeis/Harvard NIDA Center to Improve System Performance of Substance Use Disorder Treatment, and the Massachusetts Health Policy Forum.