CRISIS Act now has parts of CODE RED and another Rothfus bill to combat opioid epidemic
America has been reeling under the opioid epidemic and lawmakers across the country have been intensifying their efforts to create and adopt policies to contain the emergency. Recently, the efforts of U.S. Congressman Keith Rothfus bore fruit when two of his bills were included in the anti-opioid legislations passed...
Sackler family of Purdue Pharma faces lawsuit for fueling opioid crisis
The renowned Sackler family, which owns and runs OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, is now facing a lawsuit for their alleged involvement in fueling the deadly opioid crisis that has claimed thousands of lives nationwide. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey named eight members of the Sackler family in an 80-page...
Marijuana and MDMA use hits new high among Irish youth
The use of marijuana and MDMA among Irish youth has grown significantly over the years, from 2.4 percent in 2007 to 4.4 percent in 2016, as revealed by the recent “European Drug Report 2018: Trends and Developments”, published by the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA)....
Lethal combination of alcohol and energy drinks kills Sydney teen
Intended for fun, a combination of alcohol and energy drinks proved fatal for a Sydney teen who passed away on June 12, 2018, after consuming a potent concoction of alcohol and energy drinks, whose recipe she found online. As per reports, 15-year-old Paris Kamper was found unconscious on her...
Researchers working on developing non-addictive painkiller
At a time when opioid crisis is wreaking havoc on the United States, a team of researchers in Massachusetts are on the verge of developing a revolutionary non-addictive painkiller. Called the Blue-181, the painkiller developed by Blue Therapeutics is 50 times more potent than morphine and does not carry...
3 pharmacists, 1 doctor charged in $9.6 million prescription drug fraud in Metro Detroit
Six people, including three pharmacists and a doctor, have been charged in a $9.6 million illegal operation to over prescribe prescription medications across Metro Detroit. According to authorities, Dr. Vasan Deshikachar of Boca Raton, Florida, along with two patient recruiters and three pharmacists, were involved in a drug distribution...
Purdue was aware of widespread OxyContin abuse, but chose to be quiet, says report
Termed as the new American plague, opioid overdoses have claimed more American lives than car crashes, homicides and critical illnesses combined. One of the major contributors to the opioid epidemic is pharmaceutical companies that have played an active role in getting the consumers habituated to these drugs, often through...
Proteus digital pill to improve medication adherence rate among patients
Medications are there to treat us from an ailment, but when not taken as prescribed or misused, they can become ineffective in treating the problem and even make a person resistant to its effects. Non-adherence to any form of prescription medication can aggravate or worsen the existing medical condition....
Missouri may lose $1.7 million due to MO HealthNet payment errors
A recent report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has highlighted the severe outcomes of non-compliance with federal and state requirements for approving claims involving inpatient care for certain provider-preventable conditions (PPCs). According to the HHS report, the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) may...
San Francisco drug users will now get anti-addiction medicines on street
Taking a step forward to tackle the drug menace, health service providers in San Francisco have designed an alternative solution to make addiction treatment medicines available to drug users in the city, including the homeless on the streets. The city officials recently announced that people battling drug addiction would...