Our Story
Our story began with one family physician’s desire to spread a message of hope…
Dr. Jeff Harries provided medical treatment for patients with Alcohol Use Disorder for many years. And yet, it wasn’t until he attended a 2017 healthcare conference that he learned that a majority of patients and providers across Canada didn’t have access to the latest proven and effective medical treatments for Alcohol Use Disorder. He saw this knowledge and practice gap as a challenge and a call to action.
From that time on, Dr. Harries and the AUD team:
Travelled across BC and into Alberta, conducting 100s of presentations to 1000s of participants, including physician and clinician groups, First Nations communities, and at health forums and conferences.
Helped develop provincial guidelines for the clinical management of high-risk drinking and AUD.
Produced a documentary and a video series about AUD and treatments.
Published a point-of-care clinical summary on the BC Emergency Medicine Network.
Drafted a research article documenting success with AUD treatments.
Started care pathway development for AUD sufferers presenting at the Emergency Department.
The Canadian AUD Society, formed in September 2020 to advocate for a compassionate, evidence-based, medical approach to treating Alcohol Use Disorder. Dr. Harries died from complications of ALS in 2021, and we are inspired to continue his legacy and implement a national strategy to transform lives across Canada.