International Overdose Awareness Day: Erasing the Stigma With Alankrita Taneja, MD, and Matthew Hadfield, DO
Expert Perspectives · Keira Smith · 2024-08-29
August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day, the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose and the stigma surrounding it, remember those who have lost their lives to an overdose, and support those who have lost loved ones to an overdose. In this interview, Oncology Data Advisor Editorial Board members Dr. Alankrita Taneja and Dr. Matthew Hadfield discuss:
- Balancing the risks of opioids with their benefits for patients experiencing cancer-related pain
- The value of supportive care and palliative care specialists for prescribing opioids safely
- Assessing patients who may be at higher risk for substance abuse disorders
- Symptoms such as neuropathy which can be managed just as effectively with non-opioid alternatives
- Taking emotional responses, such as anxiety and depression, into consideration when selecting therapies for pain
- Recognizing the impact of opioid-related adverse effects
- Asking patients about their beliefs, preferences, and cultural background around pain management and opioids
- And more!
“You have to get to know your patients—whether they’re at risk for not taking pain medications because they’re scared of them, or they’re at risk for using them inappropriately, or anywhere on that spectrum. You want to make sure patients are safe and that you’re doing things the right way. It’s really important to have these conversations frequently with your patients.” – Matthew Hadfield, DO
About Dr. Taneja and Dr. Hadfield
Alankrita Taneja, MD, recently completed Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. She is interested in multiple myeloma and cellular therapies and is passionate about humanism and equitable care.
Matthew Hadfield, DO, is a Medical Oncologist at Brown University/Legorreta Cancer Center, with a pending faculty appointment at the Warren Alpert School of Medicine of Brown University. He recently completed his Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at Brown University. Dr. Hadfield’s clinical and research interests are in phase 1 clinical trials and developmental therapeutics, as well as cutaneous malignancies and immunotherapy-related adverse events.