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News
Release 
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Date: | May 4, 2004 |
| Media Contact: |
AoA Press
Office: 202-401-4541
FDA Press Office:
301-827-6242
SAMHSA Press Office: 301-443-8956 |
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SAMHSA,
FDA and AoA Work To Help Keep America’s Older Citizens
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The
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA), and the Administration on Aging, agencies under the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), will release public
education materials to warn older Americans of the
dangers of mixing certain prescription drugs or prescription medications and
alcohol. Abuse of alcohol and prescription
medications is a problem among older adults since many who suffer from
depression or anxiety start self-medicating with alcohol instead of seeking help
from a mental health professional. There
is also concern that the mixing of medications can provide symptoms that
masquerade as mental disorders. |
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| Who: |
H.
Westley Clark, M.D., J.D., M.P.H.,
Director, SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Peter
Pitts, Associate Commissioner for External Relations, Food and Drug
Administration Edwin L. Walker, Deputy Assistant Secretary
for Policy and Programs, Administration on Aging
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| When: |
May 11, 2004, at 1:30 P.M. |
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| Where: |
U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services Auditorium,
Hubert Humphrey Building 200
Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20201 |
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| SAMHSA is a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation’s substance abuse prevention, addictions treatment and mental health service delivery systems. |
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