President Biden intends to nominate Dr. Rahul Gupta, who led West Virginia’s response to a devastating opioid crisis, to run the National Office of Drug Control Policy — a choice that may generate opposition from advocates for people with substance abuse problems. Dr. Gupta is currently the chief medical and health officer at March of Dimes. White House officials confirmed Mr. Biden’s choice of Dr. Gupta, which was reported earlier in The Washington Post. On Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will publish statistics on drug overdose deaths that, by all indications, will shatter previous records. Overdose deaths rose by nearly 30 percent over the 12-month period that ended in November, from more than 71,000 to over 90,000, according to preliminary federal data released last month.

Source: New York Times July 13, 2021 19:07 UTC