Though many states have passed laws to expand naloxone access, some pharmacies have been too slow to get onboard with carrying the life-saving medication. According to new research, expanding access to naloxone still has room for improvement. Two new studies that surveyed pharmacies in California and Texas suggest that access to the opioid overdose “antidote”… Continue reading Why Some Pharmacies Still Fail To Carry Naloxone
Tag: naloxone
Will Naloxone Be Co-Prescribed With Opioid Painkillers In The Future?
While some states already require the co-prescription, the FDA is considering making it a requirement across the US. In an effort to decrease overdose deaths, doctors could soon be required to prescribe an opioid overdose antidote any time they prescribe prescription painkillers, according to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. The idea… Continue reading Will Naloxone Be Co-Prescribed With Opioid Painkillers In The Future?
Maryland Funeral Directors: We're The "Last Responders" To Opioid Crisis
Funeral directors in the state claim that safety has become an issue when dealing with opioid overdose victims. Proactive funeral directors in Maryland are stocking up on naloxone, the opioid overdose antidote, as they’ve seen a dramatic increase in the number of opioid-related deaths. They’re calling themselves the “last responders” to Maryland’s opioid crisis, the… Continue reading Maryland Funeral Directors: We're The "Last Responders" To Opioid Crisis
Bringing Harm Reduction to Haywood County
The man in the camouflage shirt who emerges from the cabin is drawn and thin with circles under his eyes. He tenses at my presence, especially once Jeremy tells him I am there to write an article. It is a cloudy evening and mosquitoes patrol in full force as Nancy Bauman and I pick our… Continue reading Bringing Harm Reduction to Haywood County
New Dosage Strength Of Opioid Addiction Drug Approved By FDA
The FDA commissioner noted that the approval will expand access for patients and reduce drug development costs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new dosage strength for a maintenance drug for the treatment of opioid addiction. Cassipa, which is a sublingual (applied under the tongue) film that combines the opioid treatment drug buprenorphine… Continue reading New Dosage Strength Of Opioid Addiction Drug Approved By FDA
Pawn Stars: The Opioid Edition
If you are at risk for overdose or use needles to shoot up drugs, come see Brandi and she’ll take care of you – no frills, no questions, no judgment. On a cold November morning in 2015, Brandi Tanner and her husband stopped to pick up their 10-year-old niece from her grandmother’s house. “Grandma’s sleeping… Continue reading Pawn Stars: The Opioid Edition
Relapsing While Famous: Demi Lovato, Stigma, and Compassion
“We would typically not blame a patient with a chronic medical condition for their problem; nor imbue the patient with shame over their offending organ—why do we seem to do this with addiction?” The news that Demi Lovato was hospitalized of a suspected drug overdose has sent her celebrity friends and fans into overdrive; they… Continue reading Relapsing While Famous: Demi Lovato, Stigma, and Compassion
How One Rural Community Is Fighting to Save Lives from Drug Overdose
“I don’t want another parent to pick out a casket. I don’t want another grandparent to have to look a grandchild in the eye and say ‘your momma is gone.’” The Driftwood Motel on Oak Island, North Carolina, has seen better days. All around it, pastel-colored vacation homes with kitschy names like After Dune Delight… Continue reading How One Rural Community Is Fighting to Save Lives from Drug Overdose
Searching For The Next Naloxone
Experts are concerned that naloxone may not be strong enough for synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and carfentanil. Naloxone is—at times—a seemingly miraculous drug. Within minutes of naloxone being administered, someone who was unresponsive because of an opioid overdose can start breathing on their own and regain consciousness. However, despite its strengths, there are issues… Continue reading Searching For The Next Naloxone
House Passes 25 Bills To Aid Fight Against Opioid Crisis
The bills cover a variety of issues ranging from improving sober living homes to disposal of unused medication. In an effort to lend legislative support to the fight against the national opioid epidemic, the House of Representatives passed 25 bills that would provide crucial support to both government and public organizations to combat the crisis on… Continue reading House Passes 25 Bills To Aid Fight Against Opioid Crisis