[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 140 (Friday, July 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 42768]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-17679]


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OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY


Leadership Meeting on Maternal, Fetal, and Infant Opioid Exposure 
and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

AGENCY: Office of National Drug Control Policy.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: An ONDCP Leadership Meeting on Maternal, Fetal and Infant 
Opioid Exposure and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) will bring 
together leaders in the field of policy, opioid exposed infants, pain 
treatment during pregnancy, and addiction treatment during and after 
pregnancy. The meeting will be held on Thursday, August 30th 2012 at 
the White House Conference Center at 726 Jackson Place, NW., Washington 
D.C., starting at 9:00 a.m. and concluding at 5:30 p.m. The overall 
objectives of the meeting are to review the state of science and policy 
and discuss the remaining challenges to the field concerning the 
upswing in maternal prescription drug abuse and dependence and 
resulting increases in opioid exposed babies with NAS and possibly 
other consequences. Misuse and abuse of, and dependence upon, 
prescription opioid drugs adversely affect the health of millions of 
Americans and their families.
    The specific conference objectives are: (1) To share research 
findings concerning the NAS epidemic and its costs; (2) to begin a 
national discussion concerning promising and best practices for 
treating opioid exposed babies; (3) to raise awareness about opioid 
misuse and dependence during pregnancy and the need for women with drug 
use disorders to access treatment through family medicine and 
gynecological practitioners, and specialty treatment providers; (4) to 
discuss legal and policy issues related to opioid using pregnant women 
and mothers including barriers to accessing treatment; (5) to promote 
awareness among regulatory agencies and insurers concerning the risks 
and benefits of opioids to developing fetuses and the likelihood of 
neonatal abstinence syndrome resulting from long term opioid use during 
pregnancy; and (6) to raise awareness about risk prevention 
opportunities among practitioners and regulators. Members of the public 
who wish to attend the meeting should telephone ONDCP's Maternal, 
Fetal, and Infant Opioid Exposure and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome 
telephone line at (202) 395-7454 to arrange building access.
    To Attend or For Further Information Contact: Cecelia Spitznas, 
Ph.D. at (202) 395-7454 or email [email protected].

    Dated: July 16, 2012.
Linda V. Priebe,
Deputy General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2012-17679 Filed 7-19-12; 8:45 am]
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