Robert Bianchi – President, Prescription Drug Research Center (PDRC)

Opioids: Hidden Dangers, New Hope

Robert Bianchi, President and Chief of Scientific and Technical Affairs at the Prescription Drug Research Center, on waking up to the value of pain medications to people in severe pain and people that are at the end of life that need to have some kind of relief~ "We have to make the drugs available to them while we prevent the abuse or misuse in a social setting where it is not necessary. So we are recognizing that, to use a term, we can't arrest our way out of this dilemma. Arresting users on the street really doesn't help solve the problem. And we're finally recognizing that this is a disease that needs to be treated, just like other diseases." Robert Bianchi - President, Prescription Drug Research Center Robert Bianchi: You can't leave it up to the government to solve this problem. Brian Wilson: The Drug Enforcement Agency is the federal law enforcement entity tasked with combatting drug trafficking. The DEA has sole responsibility for pursuing illegal drug operations in the U.S. and abroad. Bob Bianchi is the President and Chief of Scientific and Technical Affairs at the Prescription Drug Research Center. Formerly with the DEA, he brings a unique perspective to the opioid crisis in America. The Changes Over Time in Federal Government's Focus Regarding Illicit Drug Use Robert Bianchi: Prior to the formation of the DEA in 1973, there were various federal agencies that patrolled the use of illicit drugs. Prior to the 60s, drug use was not considered an acceptable behavior. Most people didn't think that drug use would be acceptable in the future. But things changed. In the 60s and 70s. We saw the advent of designer drugs like LSD, DMT, PCP, sometimes called the alphabet drugs. And the federal focus on enforcing the drug laws was really directed toward marijuana and cocaine until now, when the focus changed to heroin, stimulants, amphetamines, and depressants. So, the drug landscape was changing as time went on and has now moved into the area where the abuse of prescription drugs has become, not only acceptable but extremely popular. So, when I retired from the DEA I started working with the pharmaceutical industry to try to develop new formulations that would be more difficult to abuse. And the FDA was very much in favor of that because they realized that they needed to do something, so they provided incentives to the industry to develop these new abuse deterrent formulations. So that's how I got involved in the opioid situation that we're in today. Brian Wilson: You were in a position to see the wave of this crisis coming. It is, in many ways, a perfect storm. Is it not? The U.S. Has Only 5% of the World's Population Yet Consumes 80% of the World's Supply of Pain Killers Robert Bianchi: Well yes. A number of things have come together that have created this crisis. The United States, believe it or not, consumes 80% of the world's supply of pain killers, and we only have five percent of the total world population. So there's something peculiar about our culture. And we do not tolerate the slightest discomfort. Every single day you see ads for prescription drugs that you're being encouraged to ask your doctor about, after they read the litany of side effects, including death. We are one of two countries that allow direct consumer advertising. And I think that has contributed, in part, to our chemical dependent society. We are looking for instant gratification, solutions to all our problems. That's the society that we live in in the United States. Brian Wilson: I think maybe people look at it and they go, "How dangerous can these drugs be? I see them on TV advertised every day". Leftover Pain Killers Sit in Home Medicine Cabinet and Nobody Monitors Them Robert Bianchi: Yes. That's true. And you know, they are approved by the FDA. They're prescribed by trained physicians. Friends and family use them, so how could this stuff be bad? Unfortunately,