Combating the Opioid Crisis
A Q & A with Dr . Rahul Gupta
Photo by Tracy A . Toler Photography .
MEGAN BEVINS
Dr . Rahul Gupta , director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy ( ONDCP ), has spent his career in medicine , public health and diplomacy , addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing communities today .
From his early days as a physician in rural Alabama to his leadership roles in West Virginia and Washington , D . C ., Gupta has witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of substance use disorder . Inspired by what he witnessed , he has worked to combat the opioid epidemic , improve access to treatment and disrupt global drug trafficking networks , saving countless lives along the way .
WVE : Can you share some key experiences from your life in India and Washington , D . C ., and early career that shaped your perspective on substance use treatment and public health issues ?
RG : Growing up in India and the U . S . gave me the unique opportunity to understand and appreciate both the more collectivist approach of the East , where there is a strong emphasis on tradition and family ties , and the more individualistic approach of the West , where we are proud of our personal expression and individual freedoms .
When I was young , I lived in the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir in India . I remember seeing people under the influence of alcohol passed out in the street . Growing up in Maryland , street dealers would offer me drugs on the
way home from school , and I didn ’ t know how to react .
As a physician , I ’ ve seen the effects of substance use disorder up close . I have treated and resuscitated hundreds , if not thousands , of people with drug overdoses , many dying in my arms in the process . Similarly , I ’ ve had the opportunity to treat patients with several public health conditions , many of which physicians often do not commonly encounter in the U . S such as leprosy , plague , dengue fever , trachoma and cholera .
WVE : What inspired you to pursue a career in medicine and public health after earning your degrees ?
RG : Today , residency programs generally focus on disease categories and rotations . They often lack training in health systems , basic public health and policy . Yet , practicing physicians frequently spend their professional career battling with insurers , policymakers and various hospitals and health systems in order to advocate for patients . In my first job in rural Alabama , I saw up close how the health care system was failing my patients . Several times a week , I witnessed elderly patients have to decide between paying for food or medication . I wanted to help change the system on a larger scale , which is why I enrolled in a Master of Public Health program at the University of Alabama-Birmingham . When the opportunity presented itself , our family moved to Charleston , WV , to accomplish
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE