CHDS Seminar with Dr. Mohammad Jalali: Modeling the Opioid Epidemic in the United States

The opioid crisis is one of the most pressing public health issues in the U.S. today. Opioid overdoses are the proverbial “tip of the iceberg,” arising within a complex adaptive system characterized by rapidly changing dynamics and major uncertainties. Through a collaboration with FDA, we developed a simulation model, spanning from medical use of prescription opioids to opioid misuse and heroin use, use disorder, treatment, and remission. The model is used to identify key leverage points for addressing the crisis.