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AAC issues safety message to consumers about cold and flu medicines

As the countdown to cold and flu season begins, consumers are getting flu shots and increasing their purchases of cold and flu medicines. The Acetaminophen Awareness Coalition is issuing a safety message to consumers, reminding them to double check their medicine labels to avoid doubling up on medicines with acetaminophen when treating symptoms during the upcoming cold and flu season.

25 Sep 2014

Capital Bluecross encourages people to make use of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

To support a nationwide effort to clear homes of potentially dangerous, expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs, Capital BlueCross is reminding residents to take advantage of the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27. Take-Back Day collection is free and anonymous.

24 Sep 2014

Study: High-dose prescribing increases by 23% in Canada

High-dose opioid prescribing increased by 23 per cent in Canada between 2006 and 2011, despite clinical guidelines recommending that most patients should avoid high-doses of these drugs, according to new research.

15 Sep 2014

Teens and young adults face high risk from opioid-involved overdose

The prevalence of opioid-involved overdoses has become an increasing concern to health officials both in NYC and nationally.

3 Sep 2014

State highlights: States seek health care autonomy; L.A. nursing home audit; promoting overdose-reversal drug

Kansas, Missouri and seven other states have signed on to a movement that would wrest regulation of most of the nation's health care insurance systems from the federal government.

30 Aug 2014

First Edition: August 29, 2014

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the Obama administration and Pennsylvania reaching an agreement to expand Medicaid in that state.

29 Aug 2014

Viewpoints: Medicare no longer 'busting' the budget; a 'nightmare' trying to get coverage in D.C.

You're looking at the biggest story involving the federal budget and a crucial one for the future of the American economy. Every year for the last six years in a row, the Congressional Budget Office has reduced its estimate for how much the federal government will need to spend on Medicare in coming years.

29 Aug 2014

Research to understand how medical marijuana laws may influence overdose deaths

In states where it is legal to use medical marijuana to manage chronic pain and other conditions, the annual number of deaths from prescription drug overdose is 25 percent lower than in states where medical marijuana remains illegal, new research suggests.

26 Aug 2014

Acetyl fentanyl is more potent and dangerous than heroin

Emergency physicians should expect "an upswing in what on the surface appear to be heroin overdoses," but are actually overdoses tied to acetyl fentanyl, an opiate that is mixed into street drugs marketed as heroin.

19 Aug 2014

Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy gets $4M grant from CDC

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded $4 million to the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Bloomberg School of Public Health to help the Center continue its mission of making discoveries that save lives and reduce costs due to injuries.

19 Aug 2014

State highlights: Calif. hospital bid draws scrutiny; hospital house calls

Prime Healthcare Services Inc., a hospital chain that has come under fire for billing and patient privacy issues, is facing opposition over its potential acquisition of six California hospitals, including two medical centers in Los Angeles County. On Friday, hospital workers, union representatives and elected officials protested against Prime outside St. Vincent Medical Center near downtown Los Angeles, one of the six hospitals put up for sale this year by the Daughters of Charity Health System (Garland, 8/15).

19 Aug 2014

Study reports rising prevalence of chronic opioid use by SSDI recipients

More than 40 percent of Social Security Disability Insurance recipients take opioid pain relievers, while the prevalence of chronic opioid use is over 20 percent and rising, reports a study in the September issue of Medical Care.

16 Aug 2014

FDA approves BELSOMRA® (suvorexant) for the treatment of insomnia

Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved BELSOMRA® (suvorexant) for adults with insomnia who have difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep. BELSOMRA (pronounced bell-SOM-rah) is a highly selective antagonist for orexin receptors.

15 Aug 2014

Research hopes to protect hundreds of newborns from severe health problems by protein in milk

An international effort led by the University of Sydney hopes to protect hundreds of Bangladeshi newborns from a host of severe health problems by assessing the effect of lactoferrin, a natural protein found in breast and cow's milk, in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy.

13 Aug 2014

People born in Canada are at highest risk of overdose or death from codeine than Immigrants

Immigrants are at lower risk of an overdose or death after being prescribed codeine than people born in Canada, a new study has found.

13 Aug 2014

New lifesaving product aims at reducing death toll from heroin abuse

A new, lifesaving product aimed at reducing the death toll from heroin abuse — developed by a professor at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy — is in its final round of clinical trials and has received Fast Track designation by the Food and Drug Administration.

7 Aug 2014

New tool promises to reduce deaths caused by heroin overdose

A new, lifesaving product aimed at reducing the death toll from heroin abuse - developed by a professor at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy - is in its final round of clinical trials and has received Fast Track designation by the Food and Drug Administration.

7 Aug 2014

Researcher examines effectiveness of brief interventions for reducing problem drug use

Peter Roy-Byrne, M.D., formerly of the University of Washington, Seattle, and colleagues write that few data exist on the effectiveness of brief (1-2 sessions) interventions for reducing problem drug use, a common issue in disadvantaged populations seeking care in safety-net medical settings (hospitals and community health clinics serving low-income patients with limited or no insurance).

6 Aug 2014

State highlights: Calif. contemplates drug testing for doctors; Federal trial testing Texas abortion law begins today

At a time when random drug testing is part of the job for pilots, train operators, police officers and firefighters -; to name a few -; one high-profile line of work has managed to remain exempt: doctors.

5 Aug 2014

State highlights: Time of turmoil for Georgia hospitals; Oregon Medicaid takes aim at expensive heptatitis C drug

A selection of health policy stories from Gerogia, Wisconsin, Texas, Oregon, Florida, Michigan, Massachusetts, Connecticut and North Carolina.

4 Aug 2014

Overdose News and Research

AAC issues safety message to consumers about cold and flu medicines

Capital Bluecross encourages people to make use of National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

Study: High-dose prescribing increases by 23% in Canada

Teens and young adults face high risk from opioid-involved overdose

State highlights: States seek health care autonomy; L.A. nursing home audit; promoting overdose-reversal drug

First Edition: August 29, 2014

Viewpoints: Medicare no longer 'busting' the budget; a 'nightmare' trying to get coverage in D.C.

Research to understand how medical marijuana laws may influence overdose deaths

Acetyl fentanyl is more potent and dangerous than heroin

Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy gets $4M grant from CDC

State highlights: Calif. hospital bid draws scrutiny; hospital house calls

Study reports rising prevalence of chronic opioid use by SSDI recipients

FDA approves BELSOMRA® (suvorexant) for the treatment of insomnia

Research hopes to protect hundreds of newborns from severe health problems by protein in milk

People born in Canada are at highest risk of overdose or death from codeine than Immigrants

New lifesaving product aims at reducing death toll from heroin abuse

New tool promises to reduce deaths caused by heroin overdose

Researcher examines effectiveness of brief interventions for reducing problem drug use

State highlights: Calif. contemplates drug testing for doctors; Federal trial testing Texas abortion law begins today

State highlights: Time of turmoil for Georgia hospitals; Oregon Medicaid takes aim at expensive heptatitis C drug

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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