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.

Low-dose radiation therapy may be a suitable option for people with painful knee osteoarthritis

A single course of low-dose radiation therapy may provide a safe and effective alternative treatment option for people with painful knee osteoarthritis according to a new randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

29 Sep 2025

Infant mortality rate rises sharply when mothers experience pregnancy-associated death

A new study found that infant mortality rates in Massachusetts were 14 times higher among babies whose mother experienced a pregnancy-associated death than among babies whose mother survived pregnancy and postpartum.

26 Sep 2025

Emergency calls for opioid exposures rise among middle-school aged children

Years after the opioid epidemic began in the mid-1990s, emergency medical services are seeing increases in emergency calls for pre-teens and adolescents, according to research presented during the American Academy of Pediatrics 2025 National Conference & Exhibition at the Colorado Convention Center from Sept. 26-30.

26 Sep 2025

New research reassures on opioid use during pregnancy and child development

An Indiana University study brings a comprehensive new perspective to a growing body of evidence suggesting that mild to moderate use of prescribed opioid pain medications during pregnancy does not cause an increased risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.

17 Sep 2025

Prenatal exposure to opioid analgesics not linked to increased risk of autism or ADHD

Previous studies have suggested that children exposed to opioid pain medications while in the womb have higher rates of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but a new study finds that any increased risk could be explained by other factors.

16 Sep 2025

Limited uptake of over-the-counter naloxone despite initial surge in sales

Sales of the overdose reversal medication naloxone increased after it was made available to the public without a prescription but then dipped quickly in the period following debut of over-the-counter sales, according to a new RAND study.

16 Sep 2025

Why are more older people dying after falls?

For a while, walking the dog felt hazardous. Earl Vickers was accustomed to taking Molly, his shepherd-boxer-something-else mix, for strolls on the beach or around his neighborhood in Seaside, California. A few years ago, though, he started to experience problems staying upright.

15 Sep 2025

Many patients undergoing surgery for early-stage cancer continue or start opioid prescriptions

New research indicates that many patients who undergo surgery with the intent to cure early-stage cancer continue or start opioid prescriptions in the year following surgery.

8 Sep 2025

California CA Bridge program expands opioid treatment across most emergency departments

A comprehensive study shows that California's CA Bridge program has successfully implemented opioid use disorder treatment services across more than 80% of the state's emergency departments, reaching over 165,000 patients and providing nearly 45,000 instances of buprenorphine treatment from July 2022 through December 2023 alone.

2 Sep 2025

Many pharmacies still do not stock buprenorphine despite eased prescribing rules

Faced with a worsening drug crisis, policymakers in recent years have made it much easier for doctors to prescribe the highly effective opioid addiction treatment buprenorphine.

2 Sep 2025

Placebo study uncovers a precise pain map in the human brainstem

Researchers from the University of Sydney have used placebo pain relief to uncover a map-like system in the brainstem that controls pain differently depending on where it's felt in the body.

28 Aug 2025

New study supports personalized restart of methadone for opioid use disorder

A new study from University of Colorado Anschutz and Denver Health researchers, published today in JAMA Network Open, introduces a more individualized approach to restarting methadone treatment for people with opioid use disorder.

28 Aug 2025

Polysubstance-involved opioid overdoses found to be prevalent among youth

Most research suggests that opioid overdoses involving multiple substances in the United States typically occur among people ages 25-54.

26 Aug 2025

Evidence review questions ketamine’s role in chronic pain treatment

A Cochrane review assessed ketamine and other NMDA receptor antagonists for chronic non-cancer pain. The evidence was low to very low certainty, showing no clear pain relief and potential adverse effects with intravenous ketamine.

21 Aug 2025

Optum Rx invokes open meetings law to fight Kentucky counties on opioid suits

UnitedHealth Group's multibillion-dollar pharmacy benefit manager, Optum Rx, is suing five Kentucky counties in an attempt to force them out of national opioid litigation against the company.

20 Aug 2025

Off-label ketamine use for chronic pain lacks scientific basis

The off-label use of ketamine to treat chronic pain is not supported by scientific evidence, a new Cochrane review has found.

18 Aug 2025

Pregabalin raises heart failure risk in older adults compared to gabapentin, study finds

A large Medicare cohort study found that older adults prescribed pregabalin had a significantly higher risk of developing heart failure compared to those prescribed gabapentin. The elevated risk was most pronounced in individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular disease, especially women and White patients.

13 Aug 2025

Opioids News and Research

Further Reading

Low-dose radiation therapy may be a suitable option for people with painful knee osteoarthritis

Infant mortality rate rises sharply when mothers experience pregnancy-associated death

Emergency calls for opioid exposures rise among middle-school aged children

New research reassures on opioid use during pregnancy and child development

Prenatal exposure to opioid analgesics not linked to increased risk of autism or ADHD

Limited uptake of over-the-counter naloxone despite initial surge in sales

Why are more older people dying after falls?

Many patients undergoing surgery for early-stage cancer continue or start opioid prescriptions

California CA Bridge program expands opioid treatment across most emergency departments

Many pharmacies still do not stock buprenorphine despite eased prescribing rules

Placebo study uncovers a precise pain map in the human brainstem

New study supports personalized restart of methadone for opioid use disorder

Polysubstance-involved opioid overdoses found to be prevalent among youth

Evidence review questions ketamine’s role in chronic pain treatment

Optum Rx invokes open meetings law to fight Kentucky counties on opioid suits

Off-label ketamine use for chronic pain lacks scientific basis

Pregabalin raises heart failure risk in older adults compared to gabapentin, study finds

Understanding opioid safety and overdose prevention for older adults

Adolescents show lower rates of nonmedical ADHD drug use

Australian study finds lasting relief for back pain through cognitive functional therapy

Event guide: The Non-Opioid Pain Therapeutics Summit eBook

The Critical Role of Sample Storage in Drug Discovery and Development

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

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