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MU TEAMS WITH PERDUE PHARMA TO FIGHT ABUSE OF DRUGS

Marshall University has teamed up with a leading pharmaceutical company to fight prescription drug abuse in West Virginia. 

Marshall President Dan Angel recently teamed up with officials of Purdue Pharma L.P.  and The West Virginia Prevention Resource Center ( WVPRC ), which is operated from the Marshall Graduate College in Charleston, to announce the establishment of a program to fight prescription drug abuse in three southern West Virginia counties. 

The pilot project will take place in Mingo, Logan, and Wyoming counties.  According to Dr.  Wayne Coombs, director of the WVPRC, these three counties were chosen because they have had high amounts of prescription drug abuse in recent history. 

"Purdue Pharma met with us more than a year ago to discuss ways to combat prescription drug abuse in the state," Coombs said.  "We all were well aware of the devastating effects of prescription drug abuse.  However, we didn't have a sustainable program created, let alone in place, to fight this type of abuse."

Purdue Pharma gave the WVPRC a $126,000 grant to help fund the project.  Purdue also is helping by using its Painfully Obvious drug abuse education materials, which is specifically designed for teens and tells about the effects of prescription abuse on the body. 

"The project is the result of what happens when a corporation recognizes a need and partners with a state organization and local community leaders to take action and bring about meaningful solutions," Coombs said.  "We want to work within these counties to create a lasting program.  The grant plants the seed and our goal is to have the project grow stronger and evolve each year."

With the help from Purdue Pharma, the WVPRC is also going to work with local agencies in these counties to help with the drug abuse problem.  Coombs said aside from the drug abuse problem in the target counties, the counties were also chosen because of their efforts to respond to the problem. 

"The project's objectives in these three counties are to provide training and technical assistance in building a focused prescription drug abuse effort; increase awareness of prescription drug abuse through proven social marketing efforts; and measure the effect of these local efforts," Coombs said. 

"We are very pleased to partner with the Prevention Resource Center for this project," said Clay Yeager, Director of Community Partnerships for Purdue Pharma.  "They are very knowledgeable of the prescription drug abuse problem in West Virginia and can work at the local level with community groups to combat this problem.  Together, we are working to educate the public about the dangers of prescription drug abuse, especially among teens."