Valgerdur A. Runarsdottir, MD, FASAM
Candidate for Regional Director
Region IX - Canada/International
Valgerdur A. Runarsdottir, MD, FASAM. I have been working in the field of addiction medicine full time in Iceland for 24 years since the year 2000. I studied medicine in Iceland and did my specialty training in the USA (Brown Univ program) in Internal Medicine and then Addiction Medicine. ASAM has been a major resource for my professional development, conferences and publications, and interaction with colleges. I took the ASAM’s certification exam in 2000 and have every year since maintained my continuing education/certification. I am an ABAMdiplomate and a proud FASAM and member of ISAM. I have been staff physician since 2000 at SAA’s comprehensive treatment centers in Iceland. I was made CEO 2017-2024 and have been CMO from 2017.
I am passionate, highly involved and experienced in treatment and patient care, including MAT and HCV treatment. This is the main asset I bring to the ASAM board. I am also active in teaching healthcare personnel, impacting policies and regulations, providing public education, and conducting clinical and academic research. I have been an active participant in the Icelandic Medical Association for 21 years in different committees, as well as on the board itself.
I am very passionate about proper care for people with addictions and their families and about living life to the fullest. I love long distance and mountain running, choir singing, I’m a mother of three, a grandmother of three, and have a second home in Switzerland (Italian part) where my life partner lives.
Candidate Questionnaire Responses
1. What have been your greatest contributions to ASAM or to the field of addiction medicine over the last 10 years?
My greatest contribution is my 24 years鈥� experience in caring for people with addiction and their families. I have dedicated my career to this field, since my specialization in internal medicine and addiction medicine in the year 2000. I am fully engaged in patient care daily and supervise a team of healthcare staff in our continuum of care, as CMO of Iceland麓s main addiction treatment centers, SAA鈥揤ogur Hospital and Clinics. We treat addiction at all levels of care (inpatient, residential, outpatient), for all kinds of substances, for all age groups and special groups.
I have had the opportunity to directly innovate and evolve treatment according to new addiction challenges in Iceland. Examples are our adjusted MAT method for opioid use disorders with a humanitarian approach and flexibility for harm reduction and a drugfree recovery.
Another innovation is our successful HCV care where Iceland has been in the lead. Since 2016, extensive screening and immediate treatment of Hepatitis C within our addiction treatment centers has been crucial in this achievement, reducing HCV prevalence from 60% to 5-10% among people actively injecting drugs and maintaining this low prevalence for 5 years now. I believe ASAM could be an important vector in increasing HCV treatment in addiction treatment, as well as treating other medical comorbidities at the same time.
Gradual general changes have been made in treatment delivery and our understanding of the disease of addiction. Trauma informed care, motivational approaches, CBT work and harm reduction perspectives have become a more prominent component of our treatment alongside traditional education, counselling, relapse prevention, group therapy, 12-step facilitation, medication treatment, extended care and follow up, and more.
My contribution is also a lifelong commitment to the field and being a very outspoken advocate about addiction in all possible ways. I always accept opportunities to talk on behalf of addiction treatment and the recognition of the disease of addiction. This I have done 鈥� and continue to do 鈥� publicly in Iceland numerous times every year, in every possible way, in newspapers, tv interviews, public committees and so on.
I have also advocated for and promoted an understanding of addiction in other specialties, e.g., giving lectures at Hepatology or internal medicine conferences.
I contribute my enthusiasm for addiction treatment, which will always be great. I also have the experience, tenacity and endurance needed to push what is necessary to drive change and for making a difference. My long-distance running in the Icelandic mountains all-year-round has certainly helped build that tolerance and perseverance.
2. How would your election to the ASAM Board of Directors benefit ASAM and the field of addiction medicine?
I believe I can bring my experience to the board and contribute to discussions of the broad spectrum of addiction and addiction treatment.
As an international representative, I believe coming from Iceland is beneficial, as we have very comprehensive treatments available for all. It might also lift the profile of addiction treatment in smaller nations and introduce ASAM麓s contributions to Europe, in the Scandinavian countries and others.
I have experience in advocating for the field in Iceland, in public governance, ministry of health and welfare, for politicians and policymakers. I know the meaning of perseverance and repetition in making change happen in the bigger picture, such as in law and regulations. I have been true to ASAM鈥檚 vision regarding the disease and learned from its conferences and publications. 鈥淭reat Addiction Save Lives鈥� is before my eyes every day.
Being on the Board of ASAM would benefit the field of addiction medicine in Iceland, where we keep fighting for greater share of health care finances, for treatment, prevention, and other interventions for addiction. We are also working on recognition of a specialty training in addiction medicine and this position is bound to expedite that process.
I participate in international conferences and am a member of ISAM and ISAM-GEN (International society of addiction medicine 鈥� global experts鈥� network). As an ASAM board member, I would be honored to do my best to represent internationally, ASAM鈥檚 valuable and extensive contributions. I do have sincere interest in working with others in the field and in participating in international collaboration, where I could contribute from my expertise and experience.
I have been active in medical societies since 2003 in different committees and still am (see CV). I was a board member and vice president of the Icelandic medical association (2008-2012) and in diverse committees as well as international collaborations. Being board member of ASAM will make my voice more important and promote the field of addiction medicine, in Iceland and other countries, where I might have the opportunity to speak out.
The Nordic countries in Europe are at the forefront in caring for addiction, having a representative from Iceland on the board of ASAM could promote addiction medicine awareness and treatment even more.