Virginia-based ICF International has won a $4.8M, two-year pact from the Centers for Disease Control to develop a PR campaign highlighting the risks of prescription opioid abuse.
The contract, with the CDC's National Center for Injury PRevention and Control, includes paid and earned digital and social media, and promotion of CDC guidelines for healthcare providers about prescribing opioids, among other outreach for an overall health communications strategy.
Prescription opioid abuse has risen to epidemic proportions, including 78 deaths per day. The rate of overdose deaths quadrupled since 1999, coinciding with a nearly quadruple rate in sales of opioids.
"We look forward to working with the CDC to help dissect and communicate this complex issue to increase its visibility across a variety of audiences and reduce the incidence of drug-related deaths in the United States," said ICF VP Frances Heilig.
ICF has handled CDC campaigns related to brain injury, suicide prevention, youth violence and other illicit drug use.
Maggie Moran, who is well-connected in New Jersey and New York Democratic politics, has established Moxie Strategies in Asbury Park, NJ.
Husch Blackwell Strategies has added FleishmanHillard alum Michael Slatin as a principal in its public affairs group.
Rory Cooper, a veteran Republican operative and policy specialist, has joined Teneo’s Washington office as senior managing director in its strategy & communications practice.
Brian Fallon, who served as national press secretary for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential run, is signing on next month as Vice President’s Kamala Harris’ campaign communications director.
TikTok is nothing more than a Chinese propaganda tool that poses “a grave threat to America’s national security and, in particular, impressionable children and young adults,” say two Congressmen who want the platform registered as a foreign agent.
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