[itsmetoo2]

Everyone here seems to have either addiction problems of getting on or off, and seem not to know what to do.
Does anyone know about the new American Board of Addition Medicine?
I understand this is a new Medical Board for Doctors. Doctors who are treating Addiction Medicine should have to take this test to see if they are really qualified to treat addiction. There are too many doctors out there are treating addiction and are faking knowing what to do and do not know how to treat their patients. It is like a Internal Medicine Doctor doing Plastic Surgery.
I would like to know more about this. How to get the best treatment out there. We have been treated second rate so long and now is our turn to be treated right.
Where is a list of these Doctors?

[Robert_325]

There is an official American Society of Addiction Medicine. There is actually an American Society of _________ (every type of medication almost). But here is the site for Addiction Medication. Hope this helps.

http://www.asam.org/ABAM.html

I agree though that too many drs are opportunists when it comes to addiction. That is one reason so many people end up here seeking help. God bless.

[itsmetoo2]

This is not a Society thing But as you can see below. This is a new independent medical specialty board. The American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM) Testing just started in the past few months. Only a select few Doctors have taken the test.
This is what I found on this...
Created in 2007, with the assistance and encouragement of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, ABAM offers a rigorous certifying examination that was developed by an expert panel and the National Board of Medical Examiners, as well as a maintenance of certification examination to ensure that ABAM-certified physicians maintain life-long competence in Addiction Medicine. ABAM has formed a governing body of 15 distinguished physicians from across a range of medical specialties, each of whom is certified by a member board of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).

Although one in five Americans entering the health care system has a substance abuse problem, there has never been a medical specialty, drawn from all areas of medicine, dedicated to treating addiction. Now, patients have somewhere to turn for specialized medical care for substance use disorders related to alcohol, tobacco and other addicting drugs, including some prescription medications.



Congress recently passed legislation that ends insurance discrimination against those with addictions, requiring as of October 2009 that private insurance coverage of addiction treatment, when provided, is offered in the same way that all other medical and surgical coverage is provided.

[Robert_325]

I hope it goes well. The only problem is that drs have to depend on drug companies for instructions on medication dosing. So if drs get the correct information it could be a step forward. If drs continue to receive innaccurate information on how to dose medications like buprenorphine then there will continue to be problems regardless of any organization for addiction specialists. Drs think they are doing correctly when the information given them by the drug manufacturers can still be wrong. That has to be addressed or none of this other business will make any difference. God bless.