TITLE: What Should We Do About Drug Abuse? Models to Support Good Decisions

ABSTRACT:

The US is currently experiencing an epidemic of drug abuse caused by prescription opioids and illegal opioid use, including heroin. In addition to crime and social problems, rising levels of drug abuse have led to a sharp increase in overdose deaths in the US as well as significant outbreaks of infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C. How should we deploy limited public health resources to help solve this problem? This talk describes models used to support decision making regarding controlling drug abuse – and associated diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C – in the US. We describe models to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of HIV and drug abuse prevention programs targeted to injection drug users; health impacts of diversion programs for low-level drug offenders; and health impacts of current and potential future opioid prescribing practices in the US. We conclude with a discussion of promising directions for further research.

Bio: Margaret L. Brandeau is Coleman F. Fung Professor of Engineering and Professor of Medicine (by Courtesy) at Stanford University. Her research focuses on the development of applied mathematical and economic models to support health policy decisions. Her recent work has examined HIV and drug abuse prevention and treatment programs, programs to control the spread of hepatitis B virus, and preparedness plans for bioterror response. She is a Fellow of INFORMS and a member of the Omega Rho Honor Society for Operations Research and Management Science. From INFORMS, she has received the Philip McCord Morse Lectureship Award, the President’s Award, the Pierskalla Prize, and the Award for the Advancement of Women in Operations Research and the Management Sciences. She has also received the Award for Excellence in Application of Pharmacoeconomics and Health Outcomes Research from the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) and a Presidential Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation, among other awards. Professor Brandeau earned a BS in Mathematics and an MS in Operations Research from MIT, and a Ph.D. in Engineering-Economic Systems from Stanford.