Education today can help prevent suffering tomorrow.
On August 26, BIC Medical Board member Dr. Michael Bohan represented the Benzodiazepine Information Coalition at the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Week Community Networking Event at Eastern Virginia Medical School.
Dr. Bohan spoke with students about the potential risks of prescribed benzodiazepines, including physical dependence and withdrawal, and discussed the importance of individualized, patient-centered tapering.
At the BIC table, students could explore important resources including the Ashton Manual, Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines, and the new ASAM Clinical Practice Guideline on Benzodiazepine Tapering.
But perhaps most importantly, students had the opportunity to hear directly from Brenda Blythe and Karla Wall, who shared their lived experiences as patients who have gone through deprescribing.
And the conversations clearly made an impact. Dr. Bohan described the event as “a success!” Some students returned for a second visit—and one came back for a third.
We’re grateful to Dr. Bohan, Brenda, and Karla for helping future healthcare professionals better understand benzodiazepine withdrawal, tapering, and the experiences of the patients they will one day care for.
The more healthcare professionals understand, the better equipped they are to help patients avoid preventable harm.
