Why do so many doctors and nurses avoid treating patients with addiction? episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 6, 2026 · 9 MIN

Why do so many doctors and nurses avoid treating patients with addiction?

from Consider This from NPR

In the US, about a quarter of a million people die each year from alcohol and drug-related illness, despite proven medical treatments for addiction. So why aren’t doctors prescribing them more?This episode was produced by Liz Baker and Kathryn Fink, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. It was edited by Maureen Pao and Tinbete Ermyas.Our director is Elena Moore, and our executive producer is Courtney Dorning.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

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Why do so many doctors and nurses avoid treating patients with addiction?

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