We curate a digest of the latest news in our field for advocates, policymakers, community coalitions and all who work toward shaping policies and practices to effectively prevent substance use and treat addiction.
Hospital treatment rates for heroin rose more than 31 percent between 2008 and 2014, while treatment rates for prescription opioids have declined, according to a new study.
Health insurer Cigna announced this week it will stop covering the prescription opioid OxyContin in an effort to reduce inappropriate use of the drug. Instead it will cover an equivalent drug less vulnerable to being misused.
The Food and Drug Administration announced it will require makers of fast-acting opioids to fund voluntary training for healthcare professionals who prescribe the drugs, according to Reuters.
People searching for high-quality care for alcohol use disorder have a new online tool to help them. The tool, called the Alcohol Treatment Navigator, is provided by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, part of the National Institutes of Health.
The Food and Drug Administration issued a new warning this week about mixing medication to treat opioid addiction with anti-anxiety drugs. Both types of drugs slow breathing and brain activity.
Chuck Rosenberg, the acting head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, said he will resign at the end of the week, The New York Times reports. Law enforcement officials said Rosenberg has grown disillusioned with President Trump and feels he has little respect for the law.
CVS announced it will set limits on opioid prescriptions and add in-store disposal units for consumers so they can drop off unwanted and unused medications.
Drug company and government officials announced new efforts designed to fight opioid addiction during a meeting this week of the President's Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis.
Opioid overdoses reduced Americans’ life expectancy by 2.5 months between 2000 and 2015, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Google has announced it is restricting ads for addiction treatment. “We found a number of misleading experiences among rehabilitation treatment centers that led to our decision,” a company spokeswoman said.
Some insurance companies are restricting patients’ access to pain medicines with a lower risk of dependence or addiction, while making it easier to get generic opioid drugs, The New York Times reports.
The Food and Drug Administration has permitted marketing of the first mobile app to help treat substance use disorders. The app is designed to be prescribed by a doctor and used along with counseling, CNBC reports.
Fatal heroin overdoses have risen fivefold from 2002 to 2016, according to a new government report. Last year, an estimated 13,219 Americans died of a heroin overdose.
Authorities planning for natural disasters such as hurricanes must prepare for its effect on people struggling with drugs or alcohol, experts tell the Associated Press. The stress of hurricanes leads to an increased danger of relapse and overdose.
Three percent of high school seniors say they use the synthetic drug known as “K2” or “Spice,” a new study finds. Almost half of the teens who report K2 use say they have used it more than three times in the past month, UPI reports.
Finding the right treatment for yourself or a loved one can be an overwhelming process, so don’t be afraid to ask for help, explains Bradley F. Sorte, Executive Director, Caron Renaissance & Ocean Drive.
Half of the increase in deaths involving heroin after 2013 can be attributed to heroin mixed with fentanyl, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Although President Trump announced in August that he was declaring the opioid epidemic a national emergency, he has not yet taken formal steps to do so, CBS News reports.
The White House has announced President Trump will nominate Pennsylvania Congressman Tom Marino to lead the Office of National Drug Control Policy, according to The Washington Post.
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