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.

FDA clears mobile medical app to help increase retention in recovery program for opioid use disorder

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared a mobile medical application (app) to help increase retention (the amount of time a patient participates) in an outpatient treatment program for individuals with opioid use disorder.

10 Dec 2018

Activating brain region could revive the urge to socialize among opioid addicts

One of the many painful and challenging aspects of the US opioid crisis is that people abusing opioids often isolate themselves from family and friends, making it difficult for loved ones to help people on a path towards recovery.

10 Dec 2018

Ultrarestrictive opioid prescribing strategy linked with reduction in number of pills dispensed

An ultrarestrictive opioid prescribing strategy was associated with a reduction in the number of pills dispensed in a study of patients having surgery for gynecologic cancer, without changes in postoperative pain scores, complications or increases in prescription refill requests.

9 Dec 2018

Study quantifies links between alcohol, drug use and violent deaths

A group of researchers at the University of São Paulo's Medical School (FM-USP) in Brazil recently published the results of a study on the links between alcohol and drug use and the occurrence of violent deaths.

7 Dec 2018

VCU researchers test vaccine against opioid abuse

Virginia Commonwealth University researchers are testing a vaccine against opioid abuse developed by the Scripps Research Institute in California. The vaccine is meant to block the effects of heroin and fentanyl in patients with opioid use disorder.

7 Dec 2018

Heroin-assisted treatment can offer benefits, reduce harms

Providing supervised access to medical-grade heroin to people whose use continues after trying multiple traditional treatments has been successful in other countries, and should be piloted and studied in the United States, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

6 Dec 2018

Telemedicine for treating substance use disorders remains underused, study shows

Despite the enormous unmet need for treatment of substance use disorders and the promise of telemedicine to fill some of the gaps in care, the tool remains woefully underused, according to research led by investigators from the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School.

5 Dec 2018

Study investigates influence of different opioids on driving performance

Taking opioids for the treatment of pain has been associated with increased risks of crashing among drivers, but it is unknown whether this applies to all opioids or pertains to specific opioids only.

5 Dec 2018

New gene therapy treatment for Sickle Cell Anemia reverses symptoms in adults

After over a decade of preclinical research and development, a new gene therapy treatment for Sickle Cell Anemia is reversing disease symptoms in two adults and showing early potential for transportability to resource-challenged parts of the world where SCA is most common.

3 Dec 2018

Cannabis prescribed medicinally to the first patient in UK

A 32 year old woman – Carly Barton, has been suffering from a long term painful condition called fibromyalgia. This was after a stroke she had suffered from in her twenties. In a new development, she became the first patient United Kingdom to have been prescribed medical cannabis after a change in the laws.

3 Dec 2018

First-of-its-kind undertaking to study genetic, biological factors that contribute to development of opioid use disorder

The Coriell Institute for Medical Research, Cooper University Health Care and Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU) are launching the Camden Opioid Research Initiative (CORI), a first-of-its-kind undertaking to investigate the genetic and biological factors that contribute to the development of opioid use disorder (also referred to as opioid dependence or addiction).

29 Nov 2018

Study examines trends in opioids prescribed for children and adolescents

While the opioid crisis remains a major public health concern in the United States for people of all ages, relatively little research has been conducted in younger populations.

28 Nov 2018

Johns Hopkins researchers report challenges in treating severe crisis pain of sickle cell disease

In a study tracking the severe crisis pain of sickle cell disease and its management in 73 adults over a period of a year, Johns Hopkins researchers found that even among those on high doses of daily at-home opioids, a persistent subset was more likely to seek emergency hospital care for crisis pain and was less likely to have the pain controlled by intensive treatment.

27 Nov 2018

Recently diagnosed cancer patients more likely to drink alcohol and use tobacco, finds study

Recently diagnosed cancer survivors are more likely to drink alcohol, use tobacco, and frequent tanning beds than people in later stages of recovery, according to a research team from the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.

27 Nov 2018

$People with Alzheimer’s disease using strong opioids have increased risk of hip fracture$

People with Alzheimer’s disease using strong opioids have increased risk of hip fracture

People using strong painkillers, opioids, have twice the risk of hip fracture compared to non-opioid users, a new study from the University of Eastern Finland shows. The risk was highest in the first two months of opioid use.

26 Nov 2018

Survey: Misconceptions about opioid use undermine pain control among Asian cancer patients

Misconceptions about the use of strong opioids showed to undermine optimal pain control among Asian cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy according to a cross-sectional survey conducted at the Sarawak General Hospital in Malaysia.

21 Nov 2018

Concomitant use of sleeping pills and opioids found to prevalent among people with Alzheimer’s disease

One in five people with Alzheimer's disease who use a benzodiazepine are also concomitant users of an opioid, according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland.

19 Nov 2018

Individuals identified as lesbian, gay more likely to misuse opioids than heterosexual

Men and women who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual are more likely to misuse opioids when compared with those who identify as heterosexual, a new study shows.

19 Nov 2018

Brigham investigators examine opioid use among Massachusetts adolescents, prescription trends

Opioid-related overdoses and deaths remain a major public health concern in Massachusetts, yet adolescents who experience opioid-related nonfatal overdose have been rarely studied.

13 Nov 2018

Targeting one brain region with alternating current could decrease symptoms of chronic pain

For the first time, researchers at the UNC School of Medicine showed they could target one brain region with a weak alternating current of electricity, enhance the naturally occurring brain rhythms of that region, and significantly decrease symptoms associated with chronic lower back pain.

9 Nov 2018