Opioids News and Research

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An opioid is a chemical that works by binding to opioid receptors, which are found principally in the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract. The receptors in these two organ systems mediate both the beneficial effects and the side effects of opioids.

NIH awards $945 million through NIH HEAL Initiative to reverse opioid crisis

To reverse the opioid crisis that continues to grip the nation, the National Institutes of Health has awarded $945 million in total fiscal year 2019 funding for grants, contracts and cooperative agreements across 41 states through the Helping to End Addiction Long-term Initiative or NIH HEAL Initiative.

26 Sep 2019

In tiny doses, an addiction medication moonlights as treatment for chronic pain

Lori Pinkley, a 50-year-old from Kansas City, Mo., has struggled with puzzling chronic pain since she was 15.

26 Sep 2019

Large-scale enhanced recovery program after bariatric surgery improves patient outcomes

A large-scale implementation of a protocol to improve recovery of patients after weight-loss operations was found to reduce rates of extended hospitalization by almost half at 36 participating accredited bariatric surgery centers nationwide, according to a study published online ahead of print in the current issue of the journal Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases.

24 Sep 2019

Synthetic oral cannabinoid use found to be more common among older adults with COPD

A study published today in Drugs & Aging found that older adults in Ontario with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were twice as likely to use prescription synthetic oral cannabinoids compared to older adults without COPD.

23 Sep 2019

Advancements in pain management are giving new options to patients

Hardly a day goes by without the public being warned about the dangers of opioids. But still, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, more than 130 people die every day of opioid overdose and the problem is getting worse.

21 Sep 2019

Knowing when and how to taper off opioid dosage crucial to safe pain management

Many healthcare providers today try to avoid administering or prescribing opioid pain medications when possible because of the narcotics' addictive properties. But for some patients, opioid medications remain the most effective, most appropriate treatment for their subjective pain complaints.

20 Sep 2019

Review highlights medication underuse in the treatment of opioid use disorder

Though research shows that medication-assisted treatment can help people who are addicted to opioids, the three drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are underused, according to a review of current medical data on opioid addiction in the U.S.

19 Sep 2019

Doctors and nurses with addictions often denied a crucial recovery option

Dr. Wesley Boyd, an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard, has spent years working with state programs that help doctors, nurses and other health care workers who have become addicted to opioids get back on their feet professionally.

19 Sep 2019

Study may provide best intervention measures to prevent opioid overdose

A minority of people who use illicit opioids indicated a preference for fentanyl, the super-potent synthetic opioid that accounts for much of the recent rise in U.S. overdose deaths, according to a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

19 Sep 2019

UVA leads statewide effort to fight opioid crisis

The University of Virginia School of Medicine is leading a statewide effort to battle the opioid crisis and reduce the number of people dying from it.

18 Sep 2019

New technique for police to quickly and safely test drug evidence

Scientists have demonstrated a way for police to quickly and safely test whether a baggie or other package contains illegal drugs without having to handle any suspicious contents directly.

17 Sep 2019

Longtime crusader against Oxycontin begins to see the fruits of her struggle

In the 15 years since she lost her son to a single OxyContin pill, Barbara Van Rooyan has had but one up-close look at the people representing the company that made it.

17 Sep 2019

Purveyors of black-market pharmaceuticals target immigrants

The bootleg medications were smuggled across the border and sold to mostly Latino immigrants in public spaces throughout Los Angeles — at swap meets, parks, beauty salons and makeshift stands outside mom-and-pop grocery stores.

16 Sep 2019

New study identifies focus points to prevent opioid overdose deaths

A new study identifies specific locations where medication and harm reduction services for people with opioid use disorder should be available in order to have the greatest impact on reducing opioid overdose deaths.

16 Sep 2019

Accelerating drug discovery process to help patients

An international research team has developed a new strategy that can predict the potential clinical implications of new therapeutic compounds based on simple cellular responses.

15 Sep 2019

Reducing opioid overdose risk in incarcerated women after prison release

More than 75 percent of incarcerated women in Oregon's state prison system require treatment for a substance use disorder.

11 Sep 2019

Teens with severe opioid use disorder can be treated with medications

Teens who misuse prescription or illicit opioids might benefit from opioid treatment medications, according to a new study led by a Yale researcher.

11 Sep 2019

Developing next generation treatment to counteract opioid addiction

There are many moments in the human experience when tragedy elicits not only compassion, but inspiration. When Mike Zhang heard the story of a mother whose son died of an opioid overdose just one month after the teenager's introduction to the drug at a party, the Virginia Tech researcher wanted to help.

11 Sep 2019

Prolonged opioid use linked to low testosterone

A new study has confirmed that a major effect of opioid overuse in adults is hypogonadism, or the abnormally low secretion of testosterone. This is associated with low sexual interest, loss of muscle and bone mass, increase in fatty tissue and infertility.

9 Sep 2019

Study examines screening and treatment of opioid-induced low testosterone in men

Long-term opioid use previously has been linked with low testosterone in men. What has been unclear is how many men taking opioids had been screened or treated for low testosterone.

8 Sep 2019