Purdue Pharma, National Education Association team up to combat Rx drug abuse

WASHINGTON — A drug maker and a branch of the National Education Association have released a set of education resources designed to curb prescription drug abuse and misuse.

The NEA Health Information Network and Purdue Pharma announced Thursday the release of "Rx for Understanding," which includes 10 cross-curricular lessons for middle school students. The lessons are aligned with the National Health Education Standards and the Common Core State Standards.

"We know that 20% of high school students have reported that they have taken a prescription drug without a doctor's prescription," NEA HIN executive director Jerry Newberry said. "This behavior endangers student health and can interfere with academic success. NEA HIN welcomes our partnership with Purdue Pharma to help teachers inform students about the risks in misusing prescription medication."

Interested in this topic? Sign up for our weekly DSN Collaborative Care e-newsletter.