From MedPageToday. by Nicole Lou — Ten-fold rise in one state prompts urgent call for action Drug-associated infective endocarditis increased more than 10-fold from 2007 to 2017 in step with the opioid crisis in one state, researchers reported. Annual hospitalizations related to the infection went from 0.92 to 10.95 per 100,000 persons during this time […]
Opioids
Fantanyl Leads in Overdose Deaths
From CNN. Fentanyl is the Deadliest Drug in America, CDC Confirms by Nadia Kounang Fentanyl is now the most commonly used drug involved in drug overdoses, according to a new government report. The latest numbers from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics say that the rate of drug […]
Pain meds from the dentist may put our youth at risk
From the Washington Post. by Ronnie Cohen Dentists who prescribe opioid painkillers to teenagers and young adults after pulling their wisdom teeth may be putting their patients at risk of addiction, a new study finds. The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine Monday, shines a light on the largely overlooked role dental prescriptions play in an […]
Jail Ordered to Give Inmate Methadone for Opioid Addiction in Far-Reaching Ruling
From the NY Times by Kate Taylor BOSTON — In a ruling that could have tremendous consequences for the country’s correctional system, a federal judge said this week that a Massachusetts man facing a jail sentence could not be denied access to treatment for his opioid addiction. Judge Denise J. Casper of the United States […]
FDA Approves New Potent Opioid
From NPR. Despite Warnings, FDA Approves Potent New Opioid Painkiller by Jake Harper The Food and Drug Administration has approved a potent new opioid painkiller, despite warnings from physician critics who say the drug will contribute to the addiction epidemic. Dsuvia, a 3-millimeter-wide tablet of sufentanil made by AcelRx, came before an FDA advisory committee […]
Every U.S. Public Library and YMCA Will Soon Get Narcan for Free
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 […]
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 […]
2nd Needle Exchange Program Opens in Richmond
From the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Second needle exchange program launches at Richmond free clinic with RPD support by Bridget Balch Virginia’s second needle exchange program — an initiative aimed at reducing the risk of spreading bloodborne disease by offering clean needles to injection drug users — was launched in Richmond this week. The Health Brigade, formerly […]
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 […]
Maryland Opioid Overdoses Increase 14.8%
From the Baltimore Sun Opioid overdoses in Maryland increased 14.8 percent in first six months of 2018 by Andrea K. McDaniels The number of opioid overdoses in Maryland increased 14.8 percent in the first half of the year as public health officials and others continue to struggle to get a handle on the epidemic.Opioid overdoses […]