Narcotics News and Research

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State highlights: Docs prescribe narcotics too often, CDC chief says; Fla. hospices get close scrutiny; Calif. Medi-Cal provider rate bump delayed

The nation's top public health official on Tuesday sharply criticized the widespread treatment of aches and pains with narcotics, saying that doctors are prescribing such drugs too soon, too often and for too long -- putting patients at risk of addiction and overdose. Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that doctors are relying on these powerful drugs to treat chronic pain when physical therapy, exercise and other remedies would be safer and in many cases more effective (Girion and Glover, 7/2).

4 Jul 2013

First Edition: July 3, 2013

Today's headlines detail the Obama administration announcement that it would delay the health law rule requiring businesses provide insurance to workers.

3 Jul 2013

Poor, less educated patients are less likely to receive opioid pain medications in emergency rooms

Patients in moderate to severe pain in emergency rooms across the U.S. are less likely to receive opioid pain medications if they are black, Hispanic, poor, or have less education, compared to more affluent patients, according to a University of Rochester Medical Center study reported in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

27 Jun 2013

Mayo Clinic researchers say that adolescents with chronic pain need to avoid medical marijuana

Adolescents can have chronic pain, just like adults. It can interfere with normal development, making it difficult for teens to attend school, socialize or be physically active, the cause may be hard to find, and medications are sometimes tried without success. As patients, their parents and physicians search for solutions, there is one increasingly available option they should avoid, Mayo Clinic researchers say: medical marijuana.

17 Jun 2013

St. Louis College of Pharmacy, DEA partner to safely dispose of unwanted medication

Rain did not hold back anyone in St. Louis looking to safely dispose of unwanted and expired medication. On April 27, a record 16,311 pounds of medication from the St. Louis metropolitan area was discarded as part of the St. Louis Medication Disposal Initiative.

8 May 2013

ECMO can be used on neonates with severe respiratory failure until lung transplantation, say scientists

Adults with end-stage respiratory failure and pulmonary hypertension requiring ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) have been "bridged" toward lung transplantation with novel lung assist devices such as the Novalung.

7 May 2013

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to hold national drug take-back day this weekend

On April 27, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will be running a national drug take-back day. It is an opportunity for everyone to safely remove unwanted, unused, or expired medication from medicine cabinets.

23 Apr 2013

Ameritox study shows correlation between positive marijuana tests, misuse of prescription drugs

Ameritox, one of the nation's leaders in pain medication monitoring, announced new research today showing a correlation between positive marijuana tests and higher rates of potential prescription drug non-adherence among chronic pain medication users.

15 Apr 2013

New national study examines marijuana use and prescription drug misuse

Individuals who use marijuana recreationally are more likely to misuse other drugs, including pain-controlling, but potentially addictive narcotics, sedatives and other prescription medications, than individuals who do not use marijuana, according to a new national study issued today by Quest Diagnostics, the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services.

From Quest Diagnostics 9 Apr 2013

New therapeutic approach for bladder pain syndrome

Severe chronic pain associated with conditions such as bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis often require the use of opioid medication, with the risk of dependency and serious adverse reactions.

15 Mar 2013

Smad7 protein protects against or heals mouth sores associated with cancer treatment

Mouse model studies show that administered genetically or topically, protein Smad7 protects against or heals mouth sores commonly associated with cancer treatment.

13 Mar 2013

Roundup: N.Y. psychiatrists sue insurer over parity; Calif. lawmakers hear from families of prescription drug victims

News outlets cover health care developments in California, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Missouri and New York.

13 Mar 2013

First Edition: March 12, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about this week's roll out of budgets on Capitol Hill and how Democratic and Republican fiscal blueprints will underscore key partisan differences.

12 Mar 2013

One in three ventilated people with ALI shows substantial PTSD symptoms

One in three people who survived stays in an intensive care unit (ICU) and required use of a mechanical ventilator showed substantial post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms that lasted for up to two years, according to a new Johns Hopkins study of patients with acute lung injury.

26 Feb 2013

Roundup: Conn. governor's budget proposal would shed thousands from Medicaid; Insurance rates to rise 2.7% in Mass.; Calif. group wants tighter doc narcotic control

Gov. Dannel Malloy said he would close Connecticut's $1.2 billion budget gap with a mix of spending cuts, including to hospitals and programs for the poor, and new revenues, including the extension of some business taxes that were scheduled to expire.

10 Feb 2013

Roundup: Medicaid waiver challenges in Texas; Detailing Sandy's impact on NYC's mental care

By 2012's end, health care providers across Texas will have submitted proposals to state leaders to transform the way they care for the poor and uninsured. They have been spurred by a Medicaid waiver Texas officials sought and received in 2011 from the federal government, one that ties financing to cooperation, cost efficiency and better patient outcomes.

2 Jan 2013

CHPA praises signing into law of anti-methamphetamine bill

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) today applauded Ohio Governor John Kasich for signing into law House Bill 334, an anti-methamphetamine bill authored by Representative Terry Johnson (R-Portsmouth) and Representative Danny Bupb (R-West Union). With the new law, Ohio now becomes the 25th state to adopt real-time, stop-sale technology known as the National Precursor Log Exchange (NPLEx).

21 Dec 2012

Longer looks: 'Reckless' drug prescriptions lead to patient deaths; The struggles to reopen NY hospitals

Dr. Carlos Estiandan was up to no good, and the medical board of California was on to him. He prescribed powerful painkillers to addicts who had no medical need for them, conducted sham examinations and appeared to be a key supplier for drug dealers, according to court records. He wrote more prescriptions than the entire staffs of some hospitals and took in more than $1 million a year.

14 Dec 2012

Longer looks: A dentist tries to clear his debt; Bringing mental health services to the marines; Learning to laugh in the doctor's office

His jaw clenched beneath a blue surgeon's mask, Opanin Gyaami jerks his right arm and pulls out a prize: the decayed tooth of patient Larry Butler, also known as state prison inmate J22312. By the time he is done, Gyaami's smock and mask are spotted with the inmate's blood. He gently pats Butler on the shoulder and wishes him well.

16 Nov 2012

Twelve Step-based residential treatment benefits young adults with addiction

Young adults undergoing addiction treatment benefit from regular participation in Twelve Step-based self-help groups after discharge, according to a naturalistic study published electronically and in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

9 Nov 2012