myMatrixx Chief Clinical Officer, Phil Walls, was once again featured in the National Workers Compensation and Disability Conference (NWCDC) CompTalks series. This is an ongoing part of the 2020 virtual NWCDC and was envisioned to showcase thought leaders from across the industry and the topics they’re passionate about. Phil’s newest presentation is “Risky Business: the Journey of Fentanyl from Licit to Illicit Drug,” and it offers a wide-ranging history of both the pharmacology of the drug and its path to becoming one of the world’s most dangerous illegal substances.
Walls begins with a discussion of fentanyl’s creator, Dr. Paul Janssen, and his attempt to create a powerful synthetic opioid that could be used as an anesthetic while avoiding side-effects, such as nausea, common with other options. After covering attempts to develop applications of fentanyl for pain management, including prescription patches, Walls then delves into George Marquette, a self-taught chemist, who successfully synthesized fentanyl in his parent’s basement, turning it into the illegal drug at the center of the modern epidemic. The final part of the presentation covers the very high risk of overdose and the steps that can be taken by first responders and treatment professionals to help those affected as safely as possible.
The session will be available here on the NWCDC website where you can check out other events surrounding the 2020 virtual conference.