From Time. by Jamie Ducharme Every public library and YMCA in the U.S. may soon be equipped with Narcan, in an effort to combat drug-related deaths by expanding access to the opioid-overdose-reversing naloxone nasal spray. Emergent BioSolutions, which this month completed its acquisition of Narcan maker Adapt Pharma, will provide a free kit including two doses of […]
National
NIDA Announces New Opioid Tx ED Resources
From NIDA. New opioid treatment resources for emergency department clinicians Announcement | October 03, 2018 The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) today announced the availability of informational resources for clinicians interested in initiating buprenorphine treatment in emergency department settings. Buprenorphine is one of several medicines available for use in many emergency departments to treat […]
HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis, by Race and Ethnicity — United States, 2014–2016
From the CDC. Huang YA, Zhu W, Smith DK, Harris N, Hoover KW. HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis, by Race and Ethnicity — United States, 2014–2016. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018;67:1147–1150. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6741a3 Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with a daily, oral pill containing antiretroviral drugs is highly effective in preventing acquisition of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (1–4). […]
U.S. Needs More Tx for Addiction & Pain
From USA Today NIH director: US needs more treatments for opioid addiction, chronic pain by Ken Alltucker The head of the National Institutes of Health said Wednesday that science can help the nation find newer and smarter ways out of an epidemic that resulted in more than 49,000 opioid overdose deaths last year. NIH Director Francis […]
September 2018 Dialogue eNewsletter now available
Read inspirational, personal recovery stories and get all the information you need for National Recovery Month.
2018 Annual Surveillance Report of Drug-Related Risks and Outcomes
From the CDC. This report brings together the latest data available on the drug overdose epidemic in America, including opioid prescribing patterns, and various health behaviors and outcomes such as drug use and nonfatal overdoses and deaths. Prescription drug misuse, illicit drug use, substance use disorder, and overdose remain critical issues in the United States, […]
Researchers identify key brain circuits for reward-seeking and avoidance behavior
From NIH. Previously unrecognized pathways in mice have relevance for mental health and addiction research. Researchers have identified connections between neurons in brain systems associated with reward, stress, and emotion. Conducted in mice, the new study may help untangle multiple psychiatric conditions, including alcohol use disorder, anxiety disorders, insomnia, and depression in humans. “Understanding these […]
Notification of patient overdose deaths reduces clinician opioid prescriptions
From NIH. NIH-funded study shows clinicians reduced prescriptions following behavioral “nudge.” Clinicians were more likely to reduce the number and dose of opioid drugs they prescribed after learning that one of their patients had died from an overdose from a controlled substance than those not notified, according to a recent study appearing in the August […]
Effective Treatments for Opioid Use Disorder Are Underutilized
From NIH. NIH research confirms effective treatments for opioid use disorder are underutilized A National Institutes of Health-funded study found that treatment of opioid use disorder with either methadone or buprenorphine following a nonfatal opioid overdose is associated with significant reductions in opioid related mortality. The research, published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine, was […]
Promising therapy’ for alcohol abuse
From Science Daily. Alcohol abuse is among the leading causes of preventable death in the United States, killing more than 88,000 people a year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. That total is higher than the combined death tolls of HIV/AIDS, gun violence and car crashes. Despite this, current medications are not highly effective […]