Who We Are

The American Medical Association (AMA) believes that science and compassion must continue to guide patient care and policy change as the nation’s opioid epidemic has become a more dangerous and complicated illicit drug overdose epidemic. The data shows that current policies are insufficient to increase access to evidence-based care for substance use disorders, pain and harm reduction initiatives. The AMA’s Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force formed to directly address the changing drug overdose epidemic, focus on removing racial, gender, sexual orientation and other health-related inequities, and provide updated recommendations to physicians, policymakers and other stakeholders.

The following national, state, and specialty societies are members of the Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force:

• American Medical Association
• American Osteopathic Association
• Association of American Indian Physicians
• National Hispanic Medical Association
• National Medical Association
• American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry
• American Academy of Family Physicians
• American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
• American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
• American Academy of Pain Medicine
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• American Association of Neurological Surgeons / Congress of Neurological Surgeons
• American College of Emergency Physicians
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
• American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• American College of Physicians
• American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM)
• American Psychiatric Association
• American Society of Addiction Medicine
• American Society of Anesthesiologists
• American Society of Clinical Oncology
• Arkansas Medical Society
• California Medical Association
• Colorado Medical Society
• Massachusetts Medical Society
• Maine Medical Association
• Medical Society of the State of New York
• New Mexico Medical Association
• Ohio State Medical Association
• Oregon Medical Association
• Utah Medical Association

Physicians must continue to lead, and policymakers must base further action on evidence-based interventions. The Task Force’s five recommendations build on previous work.