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RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — Dr. Mark J. Edlund, senior research scientist at RTI International, has been appointed as Consultant of the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) Council on Addiction Psychiatry. His 1-year appointment will begin following the Annual Meeting in May 2019.
As one of the APA’s 13 councils, the Council on Addiction Psychiatry provides leadership in the prevention and treatment of addictive disorders by disseminating new knowledge, enhancing the quality of medical education, and recommending policies related to the field. The council also serves as a liaison to public and private organizations concerned with alcohol and drug abuse.
“I am looking forward to this opportunity to help my colleagues in the field and advocate for policies and practices that will improve treatment for those with substance use disorders,” said Dr. Edlund.
Dr. Edlund brings 15 years of experience in mental health and addictions health services research. He is also a practicing psychiatrist specializing in the treatment of patients with comorbid mental disorders, substance abuse disorders, and chronic pain. His research particularly focuses on pain and opioid use and abuse. He is currently the principal investigator (PI) for the National Institute on Drug Abuse grant, Prescribers, Pharmacists, & the Opioid Dilemma: A Multi-Site Qualitative Study; this grant looks into the decision-making process behind prescribing and dispensing prescription opioids to patients with chronic pain. He has previously served as PI or co-investigator on other grants related to mental health and substance use disorders for funders—including the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
“We are proud of Mark for this recognition of his expertise and stature in the field,” said Dr. Laura Dunlap, vice president of RTI’s Behavioral Health Division. “He has been a key player in advancing RTI’s mental and behavioral health research, particularly in opioids.”
