College of Pharmacy faculty members named to governor’s opioid response committee

Kenneth McCall, B.S.Pharm., Pharm.D., professor and residency director in the College of Pharmacy, and Stephanie Nichols, Pharm.D., BCPP, BCPS, associate professor in the College of Pharmacy, have been asked to serve on Governor Janet Mills’ Opioid Response Clinical Advisory Committee.

The purpose of the committee is to advise the director of opioid response and other state officials on opioid policy in the state.

“I think it's great that pharmacy is being included and that we're able to bring our expertise to help with this epidemic,” Nichols commented. 

According to the Attorney General’s Office’s 2018 Drug Death Report, drug overdose deaths decreased in 2018, but Maine's opioid crisis continues to be a public health epidemic requiring a comprehensive response.

McCall and Nichols attended the committee’s first meeting on July 15, during the governor’s Opioid Response Summit at the Augusta Civic Center.

“It's an effort by the governor to implement specific steps to address the opioid crisis, in terms of harm reduction, prevention, and ultimately treatment for opioid use disorder,” McCall explained. “For me personally, it's an honor to be selected for this committee, especially when you can help serve our great state and contribute toward solving this problem.”

The summit drew more than 1,000 attendees including health care providers, law enforcement officials and national experts.