Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ...
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Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ...

Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ... Narcotics research, rehabilitation, and treatment. Hearings, Ninety ...

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302Any reasonable amount of money, including even hundreds of millionsof dollars, would be a very wise investment if we can find somethingthat will be an antagonistic, blocking, or immunizing drug.The testimony this committee has heard so far ov the use of methadoneas a maintenance drug indicates that while methadone is farfrom perfect, it is a very helpful tool in combating heroin addiction.Yet methadone maintenance was developed by two New York doctorsworking on a shoestring budget. If this maior advance can be accomplishedwith limited financial resources, think of the great progressthat could be made if a massive Federal commitment to research,adequate research, were undertaken. Considering the enormous costof drug abuse to this country in terms of crime, relatively unsuccessfulattempts at law enforcement, and other direct and indirect drugrelatedexpenditures, such a commitment must indeed be massive.If we do not move effectively and massively in our attacks againstthis problem, we aren't going to accomplish anything very much.We had testimony in our hearings in New York from competent courtofficials that 48 percent of the cases in the courts of general jurisdictionof the Bronx and New York County were attributable to drugs, andanother 25 percent were related to heroin because they grew out ofpeople committing crimes in order to get the money to sustain drugaddiction.So 73 percent of the cases in these courts were related to the drugproblem. In fact, these prosecuting attorneys said that if it were notfor the fact that they take guilty pleas from defendants, the bestplea they can get, theu' court system would absolutely break do-sm.That shows another one of the ramifications of this drug problem.Mr. Ingersoll told our committee yesterday that drug abuse coststhe United States in the area of $3}^ to $4 billion annually. This staggeringamount is in stark comparison to the relatively small sumspent by the Government in combating drug abuse. It would be safeto predict that an allocation of substantial additional funds to combatthe drug problem would amount to an economic saving in the long run,not to speak of the lives and the careers that would be saved.What kind of research is underway, what kind of research could beundertaken if the necessary funds were available, what kind ofresults could we expect from a massive Federal commitment toresearcli. These are some of the questions we mil ask today andtomorrow. We have some of the most responsible people in ourcountry here to advise and counsel with our committee.Our first witness this morning is Dr. Charles C. Edwards, Commissionerof the Food and Drug Administration.Following graduation from public schools in Kearney, Nebr.,he attended Princeton University from 1941 to 1942, and receivedhis bachelor's and medical degrees from the University of Coloradoin 1945 and 1948. In 1956, he earned a master of science in surgerydegree from the University of Minnesota.He spent 5 years in the private practice of surgery from 1956 to1961, and served as a considtant to the Surgeon General, U.S. PublicHealth Service, during 1961-62.Dr. Edwards was director, division of socioeconomic activities,American Medical Association from 1963 to 1967, and was the AMA'sassistant director for medical education and hospitals in 1962 and 1963.

-39,3,Dr. Edwards held a surgical fellowship at the Mayo Foundation,1950-56, a teaching fellowship at the University of Minnesota,1949-50, and hiterned at St. Mary's Hospital in Minneapolis, 1948-49.Prior to joining the Department of Health, Education, and Welfareon December 1, 1969, he was vice president and managing officer,health and medical division, in the firm of Booz, Allen, & Hamilton,Inc., Chicago, 111.Appearing with Dr. Edwards is Dr. Elmer A. Gardner, consultantto the Director of the Bureau of Drugs of the Food and Drug Administration,and du'ector of program and evaluation and development ofMilwaukee County Mental Health Services.Dr. Gardner received his medical education at the State Universityof New York College of Medicine at Syracuse. He has served on thefaculties of the University of Rochester and Temple University inFliiladelpliia.He has served as chairman of the American Psychiatric AssociationTask Force on Automation and Data Processing in Psychiatry and asa member of the American Psychiatric Association Task Force onStandards. He was recently named to the board of the AmericanPsychiatric Association Journal of Hospital and CommunityPsychiatry.He isalso the author of numerous books and articles.We are also pleased to note that Dr. John Jennings is with us.Dr. Jennings is Associate Commissioner of the Food and DrugAdministration. We are very much pleased, Dr. Edwards, to have youand your associates here today.Mr. Perito, would you examine.Mr. Perito. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.Dr. Edwards, you have submitted a prepared text; is that correct?STATEMENT OE DR. CHAHLES C. EDWAEDS, COMMISSIONEE, POODAND DEUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDU-CATION, AND WELFARE; ACCOMPANIED BY DR. ELMER A.GARDNER, CONSULTANT TO THE DIRECTOR, BUREAU OF DRUGS;AND DR. JOHN JENNINGS, ASSOCIATE COMMISSIONER FOR MEDI-CAL AFFAIRSDr. Edwards. That is correct.Mr. Perito. Would you care to read your prepared text or summarizeit, as you wish?Dr. Edwards. I think I would prefer to read it, if you don't mind,and then we will be delighted to answer any questions that any of thecommittee members might have.Mr. Perito. With the chairman's permission, you may proceed.Chairman Pepper. Go right ahead.Dr. Edwards. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and members of the committee.We do appreciate this opportunity to discuss with you currentresearch in the treatment of narcotic addiction.As you have pomted out, we are all aware of the extent of the drugabuse problem and the mcreasing public concern about heroin addiction,in particular. A variety of therapeutic approaches, many withsome partial success, have been utilized over the past several years—

-39,3,Dr. Edwards held a surgical fellowship at the Mayo Foundation,1950-56, a teaching fellowship at the University of Minnesota,1949-50, <strong>and</strong> hiterned at St. Mary's Hospital in Minneapolis, 1948-49.Prior to joining the Department of Health, Education, <strong>and</strong> Welfareon December 1, 1969, he was vice president <strong>and</strong> managing officer,health <strong>and</strong> medical division, in the firm of Booz, Allen, & Hamilton,Inc., Chicago, 111.Appearing with Dr. Edwards is Dr. Elmer A. Gardner, consultantto the Director of the Bureau of Drugs of the Food <strong>and</strong> Drug Administration,<strong>and</strong> du'ector of program <strong>and</strong> evaluation <strong>and</strong> development ofMilwaukee County Mental Health Services.Dr. Gardner received his medical education at the State Universityof New York College of Medicine at Syracuse. He has served on thefaculties of the University of Rochester <strong>and</strong> Temple University inFliiladelpliia.He has served as chairman of the American Psychiatric AssociationTask Force on Automation <strong>and</strong> Data Processing in Psychiatry <strong>and</strong> asa member of the American Psychiatric Association Task Force onSt<strong>and</strong>ards. He was recently named to the board of the AmericanPsychiatric Association Journal of Hospital <strong>and</strong> CommunityPsychiatry.He isalso the author of numerous books <strong>and</strong> articles.We are also pleased to note that Dr. John Jennings is with us.Dr. Jennings is Associate Commissioner of the Food <strong>and</strong> DrugAdministration. We are very much pleased, Dr. Edwards, to have you<strong>and</strong> your associates here today.Mr. Perito, would you examine.Mr. Perito. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.Dr. Edwards, you have submitted a prepared text; is that correct?STATEMENT OE DR. CHAHLES C. EDWAEDS, COMMISSIONEE, POODAND DEUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDU-CATION, AND WELFARE; ACCOMPANIED BY DR. ELMER A.GARDNER, CONSULTANT TO THE DIRECTOR, BUREAU OF DRUGS;AND DR. JOHN JENNINGS, ASSOCIATE COMMISSIONER FOR MEDI-CAL AFFAIRSDr. Edwards. That is correct.Mr. Perito. Would you care to read your prepared text or summarizeit, as you wish?Dr. Edwards. I think I would prefer to read it, if you don't mind,<strong>and</strong> then we will be delighted to answer any questions that any of thecommittee members might have.Mr. Perito. With the chairman's permission, you may proceed.Chairman Pepper. Go right ahead.Dr. Edwards. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, <strong>and</strong> members of the committee.We do appreciate this opportunity to discuss with you current<strong>research</strong> in the <strong>treatment</strong> of narcotic addiction.As you have pomted out, we are all aware of the extent of the drugabuse problem <strong>and</strong> the mcreasing public concern about heroin addiction,in particular. A variety of therapeutic approaches, many withsome partial success, have been utilized over the past several years—

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