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LEXINGTON, KY. (WKYT) – The University of Kentucky and the Commonwealth of Kentucky have received an $ 87 million grant to help reduce the number of overdose deaths from opioids.
The four-year study is part of a partnership between the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the Cabinet of Justice and Public Safety.
"It seems like lives are broken, families, communities, it sounds like a devastation," Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin said, describing the opioid epidemic in the state .
The Kentucky and United Kingdom study is one of four US studies selected by the National Institute for Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health. The study enrolled under the initiative "Helps End the Long-Term Dependence" of the NIH, HEAL.
Alex Elswick, of Lexington, spoke at Thursday's announcement in Washington, describing his story of fighting heroin addiction and how, on Friday, he would attend a funeral. classmate.
"And I'm sorry to say that HEAL has arrived too late for him, but HEAL is just in time for the tens of thousands of lives that will save," Elswick said.
The researchers will work to find solutions to fight the epidemic of opioids by helping those directly affected.
"What Kentucky is going to do for the rest of the country, is to test the best possible interventions, with the goal of reducing by 40% the number of deaths from opioids over 40 years," said Alex M. Azar II. US Secretary of Health and Social Services.
"Kentuckians know better than most of the insidious ones of this disease," said British President Eli Capilouto. "The opioid epidemic makes no distinction by postal code, race, income or other demographic characteristic. This is not a character or a moral fault, but an illness. It's ruthless. It affects us all. We all know someone – a family member, a loved one, a longtime friend or a classmate – whose life has been damaged by this disease. His victims are us. But there is hope. There is us that is why we believe that an aggressive and ambitious change is possible. Indeed, it is essential. That's why we think we can – and must – lead the way. "
Capilouto publicly thanked the administration of Gov. Matt Bevin and members of the Kentucky federal delegation, including Sentiments Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul, as well as representatives Andy Barr and Hal Rogers, for their support in the event. obtaining funding.
Sharon Walsh will lead the research in the UK. Walsh said they would take action, including to increase access to treatment, improve needle exchange services and expand Narcan's availability and training.
"It's ambitious, but I think if we can bring together all the elements and actually create a new type of network that connects all the services available and that actually reaches the people most at risk," Walsh said. "I think we can really do that."
The university says Kentucky is currently ranked fifth in the United States for opioid overdose deaths.
There are 16 counties considered "heavily affected communities" that will be included in the study. The university has appointed Fayette, Jessamine, Clark, Kenton, Campbell, Mason, Greenup, Carter, Boyd, Knox, Jefferson, Franklin, Boyle, Madison, Bourbon and Floyd counties. 764 opioid overdose deaths occurred in these counties in 2017. Two-thirds were related to fentanyl.
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