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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

Scientists unveil key brain cells that suppress drug cravings

Illicit drug use has been linked to disability, death, and the risk for many diseases. But more, it is associated with risks to the person’s family, friends, and the community.

10 Sep 2019

Too much vitamin D may reduce bone density, say scientists

Excessive supplementation with vitamin D can cause bone loss and bone weakening, according to a new study.

6 Sep 2019

Study finds alarming risk for people coming off chronic opioid therapy

With a huge push to reduce opioid prescribing, little is known about the real-world benefits or risks to patients.

6 Sep 2019

Opioids after surgery overly prescribed in USA and Canada

A new study covering several institutions shows that patients recovering from surgery in the US or Canada have a 50% chance of being treated with opioids. This is seven times as high as the corresponding percentage in Sweden. Within the US, the initial dosages are likely to be over 200 morphine milligram equivalents (MME) – much more than in Canada.

5 Sep 2019

Too much Vitamin D could be harmful to bones

Vitamin D – an essential for healthy bones and calcium in the body, is prepared by the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight. A daily exposure of around 10 to 15 days is considered to be adequate for fulfilling the needs of vitamin D in the body.

4 Sep 2019

Paracetamol poisoning soars over the past decade in Australia

Paracetamol is one of the most common painkillers and antipyretics used in Australia. However, a new study hopes for the restriction in the access to the drug, due to a serious spike in paracetamol poisonings.

2 Sep 2019

An overview about emerging prevalence of post opioid-overdose interventions in the U.S.

Opioid-related deaths continue to take the lives of thousands in the U.S. each year, with non-fatal opioid overdoses as a significant risk factor for a subsequent fatal overdose.

30 Aug 2019

Australian overdose deaths - sinister new trend

The incidence of unintentional overdose leading to death is still going up in Australia, says Australia’s Annual Overdose Report 2019. Most of the drugs involved are very powerful. They include prescription opioids and benzodiazepines as well as illegal substances like heroin and crystal methamphetamine or “ice”.

27 Aug 2019

Front-line primary care providers given tools to play larger role in tackling opioid abuse

Buprenorphine and naltrexone can help break a person's addiction to life-threatening opioid use disorder, but they can be hard for front-line, primary care providers to prescribe, according to researchers at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center.

27 Aug 2019

Addiction clinics market pricey, unproven treatments to desperate patients

Jason was hallucinating. He was withdrawing from drugs at an addiction treatment center near Indianapolis, and he had hardly slept for several days.

23 Aug 2019

Massage Therapy Foundation announces research grant to address pain and opioid use in veterans

The Massage Therapy Foundation has awarded $210,000 for a research grant to the Defense and Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management, Rockville, Md. Dr. Krista Highland, Deputy Director of Science, DVCIPM, is the Primary Investigator of the two-year study, "Massage Service Integration in a Military Primary Care Clinic: Implementation and Impact Study."

21 Aug 2019

Patients who start long-term buprenorphine treatment are less likely to use opioids

In a first-ever randomized trial, patients at a short-term inpatient program began long-term outpatient treatment with buprenorphine before discharge, with better outcomes than detox patients.

21 Aug 2019

DIY tech gives people more freedom in managing diabetes

When Sam Mazaheri was 9, he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. That means Sam's body makes little or no insulin, a hormone that turns food into energy.

19 Aug 2019

Researchers find biological system that manages cells' response to opioid drug exposure

A team at Scripps Research in Florida has discovered a biological system that manages cells' response to opioid drug exposure. The unexpected discovery offers new ideas for improving the safety of the one of the most effective, and most abused, group of pain medications.

19 Aug 2019

Among hurdles for those with opioid addictions: Getting the drug to treat it

Louis Morano knew what he needed, and he knew where to get it. He made his way to a mobile medical clinic parked on a corner of Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood, in the geographical heart of the city's overdose crisis. People call it "the bupe bus."

16 Aug 2019

Using cannabis and opioids for pain increases mental health issues

Opioid misuse has become a significant public health problem. Despite efforts to control its use, opioid is still the most widely prescribed class of medicines. Now, a new study shows that when adults mix prescription opioids for pain with marijuana or cannabis, they report higher rates of anxiety and depression symptoms.

13 Aug 2019

Effects of edible marijuana studied in mice

Researchers have studied the effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC in food albeit in mice. THC is the main component that causes the psychological features seen with use of marijuana. Laboratory mice were given dough containing THC and the effects of the concoction were studied on them. This was an attempt to see similar effects in humans after consuming marijuana laced edibles.

13 Aug 2019

Warning signs of serious mental illness in children

A recent report by the New Jersey Poison Control Center at Rutgers University showed a rise in suicide attempts by pre-teens over the past 18 months -; a trend that has been seen across the nation.

13 Aug 2019

60% of privately insured children received opioids after tonsillectomy, study finds

Sixty percent of privately insured children undergoing tonsil removal received opioids –with average prescriptions lasting about six to 10 days – a new study finds.

9 Aug 2019