NC Opioid Deaths Declined in 2018, Breaking Trend
The number of unintentional opioid overdose deaths in North Carolina has dropped for the first time in five years.
opioids
Tales Of Corporate Painkiller Pushing: 'The Death Rates Just Soared'
Washington Post journalist Scott Higham says recently released evidence shows the drug industry purposely shipped big quantities of opioids to communities without regard for how they were being used.
Poll: Nearly 1 in 5 Americans Says Pain Often Interferes With Daily Life
How do Americans experience and cope with pain that makes everyday life harder? We asked in the latest NPR-IBM Watson Health Poll.
Opioid Prescribing Guidelines Are Slowing The Flow Of Pills — But Progress Is Slow
After a group of hospitals in Michigan implemented opioid prescribing guidelines, surgeons there reduced the number of pills they prescribed by around a third. Nationally numbers are slow to change.
It's The Go-To Drug To Treat Opioid Addiction. Why Won't More Pharmacies Stock It?
It can be hard enough finding a doctor who prescribes buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid addiction. But patients also report difficulty with pharmacies that refuse to stock the drug.
Pain Rescue Team Helps Seriously Ill Kids Cope In Terrible Times
An interdisciplinary team in San Francisco uses acupressure, massage, counseling and other methods, as well as medicine, to help kids get relief from chronic pain. But such pediatric centers are rare.
Pain Meds As Public Nuisance? Oklahoma Tests A Legal Strategy For Opioid Addiction
The first civil trial against an opioid manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson, has ended in Oklahoma. The verdict could affect lawsuits filed by other local and state governments coping with addiction.
Motorcycle Crash Shows Bioethicist The Dark Side Of Quitting Opioids Alone
When medical bioethicist Travis Rieder tried to taper off pain medication after a roadway accident, he was disappointed by his doctors' reaction: "Everybody had a reason to send me to somebody else."
Forsyth DA Talks About Helping Addicts, Prosecuting Dealers
A bill awaiting the governor's signature would make it easier to prosecute people who sell drugs that lead to an overdose death.
Key Florida Republicans Now Say Yes To Clean Needles For Drug Users
Florida has struggled for years with opioid overdoses — and the highest rate of HIV infection in the U.S. Lawmakers now hope needle exchanges and a "harm reduction" approach could help save lives.