Lawyer Monthly - January 2022 Edition

n brief, what does “addiction medicine” mean in a legal sense? Addiction medicine is the medical speciality focused on the identification and treatment of patients with substance use disorders. Primarily we focus on chemical dependency involving alcohol, opiates, stimulants, and sedatives. However, some providers also include process addictions like gambling, gaming and eating disorders. Addiction Medicine is now an approved medical speciality with its own fellowship and training programs. Here in the i The Emerging Field of Addiction Medicine Addiction medicine is a newly recognised area of science that is growing in prominence. Concerned with the proper treatment of patients with substance use disorders, specialists in this field are uniquely qualified to comment on legal matters involving substance abuse. Ken Starr MD, a Diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine, offers Lawyer Monthly a look into his field of expertise below. EXPERT WITNESS 77 JAN 2022 | WWW.LAWYER-MONTHLY.COM United States, the speciality of addiction medicine is under the umbrella of the American Board of Preventive Medicine. Addiction medicine specialists work in a variety of settings. I manage both outpatient and inpatient treatment programs, though some providers will work in jails, institutions, inpatient treatment programs and mental health clinics. As an expert witness in this field, what do you help jurors and counsel to understand? I educate attorneys and jurors on the complexities of addiction medicine treatment. Patients with substance abuse issues are people with a challenging chronic medical condition. These patients end up in jail or rehab programs where things do not always go well. Additionally, most have underlying severe mental health problems which can make care even more difficult. My role is really to explain the “why”, “should have”, “how” and “why not“ regarding the care of these types of patients in different clinical settings. I help them to understand what medications are used in this field and their associated risks. More often than not, patients did not receive medications which are standard of care, and so experienced adverse outcomes. What sort of cases are you called to advise on? As a recognised expert in this field, my legal experience has involved matters of family law and custody where one parent may need an independent evaluation or a treatment plan so child custody can be safely determined. I have been involved in a number of accidental death cases involving jails and rehabilitation programs where there is a question about the care provided. Patients with severe drug abuse problems often have unpredictable Addiction Medicine is now an approved medical speciality with its own fellowship and training programs.