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Dr. Kevin Friedman of Halyard Health
Halyard Health Provides Alternative To Opioid Pain Meds
The current opioid abuse epidemic has been called the worst drug crisis in American history. Death rates now
rival those of AIDS during the 1990s, with overdoses from heroin and other opioids now killing more
than 27,000 people a year. People across the country are asking themselves: why? What are the forces
causing this issue, and what can lawmakers and the healthcare community do to curb it? At the heart of
the epidemic is the shift in opioid prescribing practices: in 1991, doctors wrote 76 million prescriptions
for painkillers.
In 2012, that number tripled, with healthcare providers writing 259 million prescriptions for opioid painkillers – enough for every American adult to have a bottle of pills.1 Most addicts aren’t introduced to opioids through the black market; they are far too often prescribed by their doctors as part of standard treatment protocols for treating postoperative and chronic pain.
On this episode we were joined in studio by Kevin Friedman, medical director at Alpharetta, Georgia-based Halyard Health. The company manufactures two non-narcotic alternatives – COOLIEF Cooled Radiofrequency and the ON-Q* Pain Relief System – for chronic and post-operative pain, respectively. Kevin shared actionable steps to address the opioid crisis and how patient/provider education, coupled with non-opioid therapies such as these for pain management, play a critical role in reducing the rate of occurrence of opioid addiction due to prescription use.
Halyard Health is a global medical technology company focused on preventing infection, eliminating pain and speeding
recovery. Just as a halyard fuels forward movement, Halyard Health’s clinically-superior products and remarkable
service help to advance health and healthcare worldwide. Halyard sells its recognized brands and products in more
than 100 countries, and holds leading market positions in multiple categories across the portfolio. Formerly part of
Kimberly-Clark, Halyard became an independent company on November 1, 2014.
For more information, visit
www.halyardhealth.com.
Special Guest:
Dr. Kevin Friedman, DO, Medical Director, Halyard Health 
- Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery, Nova Southeastern University
- MBA, IU Kelley School of Business
- Former Flight Surgeon, US Navy
