Drug Distributors Penalized For Turning Blind Eye In Opioid Epidemic
The wholesalers that move medicines between drug companies and pharmacies have been fined for failing to call out suspicious transactions involving opioids.
opioid abuse
Rural Colorado's Opioid Connections Might Hold Clues To Better Treatment
Opioid abuse is rising fast among those who live in rural areas. Research suggests the drugs' illicit use there spreads rapidly via social networks, which could be part of the solution, too.
A Peer Recovery Coach Walks The Front Lines Of America's Opioid Epidemic
Charlie Oen was addicted to heroin as a teenager. At 25, he's now clean and a peer counselor in Lima, Ohio, where he tries to help people who started using drugs before he was born.
Opioids Can Derail The Lives Of Older People, Too
Doctors have commonly managed the persistent pain of people over 65 with prescription opioids. But that has left some still in pain, and with a physical and emotional dependence that can ruin life.
'Drug Dealer, M.D.': Misunderstandings And Good Intentions Fueled Opioid Epidemic
Psychiatrist Anna Lembke says the medical establishment and drugmakers began telling doctors in the 1980s that opioids were effective treatment for chronic pain. "That was patently false," she says.
Rise In Drug-Dependent Newborns Tied To Rural Areas, Study Finds
A study published Monday finds that newborns suffering through drug withdrawal now make up at least 7.5 per 1,000 hospital births in rural areas, in contrast to 4.8 per 1,000 in urban areas.
Life Expectancy In U.S. Drops For First Time In Decades, Report Finds
Overall, U.S. life expectancy dipped in 2015 — the first drop since 1993. That's because the death rate went up between 2014 and 2015, driven by an increase in mortality among people younger than 65.
Organ Donations Spike In The Wake Of The Opioid Epidemic
So far this year, more than 1 in 4 donations in New England are from people who died after a drug overdose — a much higher rate than in the U.S. overall, though it's not clear why.
Kratom Gets Reprieve From Drug Enforcement Administration
The agency has decided to leave kratom off its list of highly restricted drugs for now. The DEA is asking for public comment and help from the Food and Drug Administration in evaluating kratom.
How We Got Here: Treating Addiction In 28 Days
Decades ago, a researcher came up with 28 days as the ideal length of stay for inpatient alcoholism rehab, despite lack of evidence that it worked. That model is now being used for opioid addiction.