Northam urges med school students to 'turn practice into policy'

ROANOK, Va. (WSET) -- From practice to policy, that's what Governor Ralph Northam says is needed in battling the opioid epidemic.

Northam spoke to medical students and residents Tuesday at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine in Roanoke.

A pediatric neurologist by trade, Northam talked about his experience from the medical side of this issue. But students also heard from someone who battled addiction himself.

Ryan Hall was a great student and athlete, but when he suffered a football injury in high school, his life totally changed.

He was prescribed multiple painkillers in the hospital for his injury and became addicted.

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Hall then turned to heroine, then fentenyl and was using up to ten bags a day.

"I've heard this story over and over again and this path of addiction often starts with a prescription from someone like me," Northam said.

Northam says providers need to look at more innovative ways to treat acute and chronic pain.

Hall says he is now sober, recently engaged and making up for lost time with his daughter.

On the Southside, Pittsylvania County is suing more than 15 drug distributors and pharmacy benefit managers for the role the county says they played in this epidemic.

The county claims these companies make it easier for patients to get access to opioids and have violated a number of state laws.

"I'm not here to throw stones at anyone this morning, but if you look at the statistics of opioid overdoses and deaths that started in the early to mid-nineties, they started when the FDA approved Oxycontin," Governor Northam said when asked about the lawsuit.

Northam also stressed the importance of following up with patients after they are hospitalized and prescribed opioids.