Doing Drugs (Research) Right | Dan Ciccarone | TEDxBerkeley

The U.S. is currently in the throes of a major opioid epidemic, but how can we come out of it? Dr. Dan Ciccarone, professor and physician at UCSF, describes his interdisciplinary research, including street-level interviews with drug users, to offer a broader context for the epidemic as well as ways to address it. Dr. Dan Ciccarone, MD, MPH is a Professor in the Department of Family & Community Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. His population-based studies, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, aim to deepen our understanding of HIV and related disease and risk-taking among socially marginalized groups. He is currently leading the Heroin in Transition study with its integrated multidisciplinary - ethnographic, economic and statistical modeling - aims to examine the recent rise in heroin use and the expanding diversity of heroin source-forms and illicitly-made synthetic opioids (e.g. fentanyls) and their relationship to sharp increases in illicit opioid-involved mortality and morbidity. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@ryanlewiz]

Absolutely brilliant Mr. Ciccarone. I studied Sociology at Oregon and Substance Abuse Counseling through the Berkeley Extension. I then moved up to Portland and was shocked out how far behind the entire state of Oregon is in regard to treatment. 12 step everything; everywhere. It's infuriating. As someone who understands qualitative and quantitative data and the extreme importance of doing micro level research; your entire presentation was brilliant. I had a multiple 'ah hah!' or 'ohhhh!' moments for the first time while watching, listening and often even reading any commentary on this subject matter. I love that your group is going to the 'darkest' of places and recognize how building rapport is ESSENTIAL. I know my passion, personal experience and education in both Eugene and Berkeley give me the ability to establish rapport in ways that the current profit driven treatment options in Oregon cannot. 1930s 12 step policy with no alternative, public or private. This epidemic does NOT parallel that of alcoholism. Court mandated attendance to meetings where some are in attendance to go through the motions are 'infecting' a population that is attempting to work on themselves only perpetuates addiction. My apologies for the tangential thinking.....you know all of this. I just wanted to say THANKS! FInally I am not refuting the inherent flaws of systems implemented by folks that often have very good intentions.

[@conwoo1]

Exactly!

[@asparagusnoodle]

ok

[@nprpps]

Lol hi