The Medicine Abuse Project

The American College of Emergency Physicians is a national supporter of The Medicine Abuse Project, which aims to prevent half a million teens from abusing medicine within 5 years. Emergency physicians see first-hand the devastation of drug abuse, which is why we are urging everyone to take the pledge to take control of your medicines. To learn more, visit TheMedicineAbuseProject.org.

American Medicine Chest Challenge

The American College of Emergency Physicians, a national sponsor of the American Medicine Chest Challenge, is educating the public about safe disposal of expired,unwanted medications in order to  reduce the likelihood of drug abuse or accidental overdose. A recent study reports that prescription drugs were involved in more than  20,000  overdose deaths in 2008, more than half of the total 36,450 overdose deaths that year. 

MADD - Power of Parents

ACEP has joined Mothers Against Drunk Driving to educate parents about how to talk to their teenagers about alcohol. In 2009, more than 500 ER visits a day involved underage drinking. For tips on how to get the conversation started, read more about the Power of Parents: It’s Your Influence handbook.

Know Your Dose

Acetaminophen is found in more than 600 different prescription and over-the-counter medicines, including pain relievers, fever  reducers  and sleep aids as well as well as cough, cold and allergy medicines. On prescription labels, acetaminophen is sometimes listed as "APAP," "acetam" or other shortened versions of the word. There is a limit to how much you can take in one day. Taking more acetaminophen than directed is an overdose and can lead to liver damage. 

The Know Your Dose campaign is raising awareness of this important topic by educating patients and consumers on appropriate use of medicines that contain acetaminophen. The American College of Emergency Physicians has joined the Know Your Dose campaign to remind patients and consumers always to read and follow the labels of their medicines and never to take two medicines that contain acetaminophen at the same time. The campaign's website, KnowYourDose.org, offers a list of common medicines that contain acetaminophen, tips on reading over-the-counter and prescription labels, and more.

Seconds Save Lives

Would you know what to do in a medical emergency? And what not to do?  For tips on how to respond, read ACEP's brochure, Seconds Save Lives

Suicide Prevention

ACEP and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline are working together to reduce suicide nationwide. The campaign's goal is to prevent suicide attempts by encouraging individualsin suicidal crisis to get immediate assistance by calling a toll-free telephone number: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) (en Español 1-888-628-9454). The caller will be connected to the nearest available  suicide prevention and  mental health service provider. Lifeline is the only national suicide prevention and intervention telephone resource funded by the Federal Government. ACEP wants people to know that trained crisis workers are available 24 hours a day/ seven days a week, to assist them in getting the help they need to prevent life-threatening injuries or death by suicide. To learn more: http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

The Partnership for Prescription Assistance

ACEP is a partner of The Partnership for Prescription Assistance program, which brings together America's pharmaceutical companies, doctors, other health care providers, patient advocacy organizations and community groups to help qualifying patients who lack prescription coverage get the medicines they need through the public or private program that's right for them. Many will get them free or nearly free. Its mission is to increase awareness of patient assistance programs and boost enrollment of those who are eligible. Through this program, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance offers a single point of access to more than 275 public and private patient assistance programs, including more than 150 programs offered by pharmaceutical companies. To access the Partnership for Prescription Assistance by phone, you can call toll-free, 1-888-4PPA-NOW (1-888-477-2669) or visit www.pparx.org. 

Women and stroke

Did you know that women are more likely than men to have a stroke? Although nearly half a million women a year suffer from stroke, many still do not know the signs and symptoms of this life-threatening emergency. ACEP and the National Stroke Association have teamed up to educate the public about the third leading cause of death in the United States.