Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine will host a symposium, titled “Addressing the Opioid Epidemic: Control Drug Misuse,” from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 29. The all-day symposium will feature keynote speaker John Temple, author of American Pain.

The event will be held in the Stowers Auditorium located in the Hamilton Math and Science Building on the LMU main campus (6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway) in Harrogate, Tennessee.

The symposium is required for LMU’s second-year osteopathic medical students, first-year physician assistant students and nurse practitioner students. The event is closed to the public but will be livestreamed at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/lmu-special-events.

Ninety-one Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. Since 1999, overdose deaths involving prescription opioids have quadrupled. During the same time period, the number of prescription opioids dispensed in the United States has quadrupled. From 1999 to 2015, prescription opioids have led to approximately 183,000 deaths. In 2015, more than 52,000 people died from drug overdose and 63.1 percent of those deaths involved an opioid.

In their clinical training and future residencies, LMU health profession students will be entering clinics and hospitals where they will encounter patients exhibiting drug seeking behavior and patients who are addicted to these medications. The objectives of the symposium are to:

• Introduce students to widespread control drug misuse problem in the local and national regions

• Help students recognize misuse in patients and self

• Help students recognize substance use disorders as a chronic disease

• Identify best practices for preventing control drug misuse and non-prescription drug treatment options.