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U.S. Surgeon General Urges Clinicians To Curb Use Of Opioid Painkillers

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Pictured here in 2014, Dr. Vivek Murthy testifies on Capitol Hill about his nomination in 2014. Surgeon General Murthy is now sending a letter to millions of clinicians asking them to help curb the abuse of opioid painkillers. (Charles Dharapak/AP)
Pictured here in 2014, Dr. Vivek Murthy testifies on Capitol Hill about his nomination in 2014. Surgeon General Murthy is now sending a letter to millions of clinicians asking them to help curb the abuse of opioid painkillers. (Charles Dharapak/AP)

More than 2 million health care practitioners in Massachusetts and across the country will get a letter in the next few days from U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.

In the letter, Murthy is asking practitioners to help curb the widening crisis of opioid abuse — he says clinicians are crucial in this fight.

Monday afternoon, WBUR's All Things Considered spoke with Murthy, who said other countries also have problems with abuse — but it's worse in America.

This segment aired on August 29, 2016.

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Lisa Mullins Host, All Things Considered
Lisa Mullins is the voice of WBUR’s All Things Considered. She anchors the program, conducts interviews and reports from the field.

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