Opioid epidemic in the United States

Distributors Announce Proposed Opioid Settlement Will Proceed to Next Phase

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, September 4, 2021

Under the proposed settlement agreement and process, all U.S. States, territories, and Washington DC were given 30 days to join the settlement, except West Virginia which settled previously with the companies.

Key Points: 
  • Under the proposed settlement agreement and process, all U.S. States, territories, and Washington DC were given 30 days to join the settlement, except West Virginia which settled previously with the companies.
  • After the conclusion of the political subdivision sign-on period, each company will independently determine whether a sufficient number of political subdivisions have joined for the settlement to proceed to implementation.
  • If the conditions are satisfied, the settlement would become effective 60 days after the distributors determine that there is sufficient participation to proceed.
  • During this 60-day period, the participating states and the distributors would cooperate to obtain consent judgments in each participating state embodying the terms of the settlement.

Sunrise Recovery Ranch Awarded $100,000 Grant to Help Fight Opioid Crisis

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, August 4, 2021

RIVERSIDE, Calif., Aug. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sunrise Recovery Ranch, one of Californias leading addiction and mental health disorder treatment facilities, has received a grant to provide treatment for lower-income individuals who have been impacted by the nations ongoing opioid crisis.

Key Points: 
  • RIVERSIDE, Calif., Aug. 04, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sunrise Recovery Ranch, one of Californias leading addiction and mental health disorder treatment facilities, has received a grant to provide treatment for lower-income individuals who have been impacted by the nations ongoing opioid crisis.
  • The MAT Access Points Project is providing funding to a network of organizations throughout California to address the opioid crisis by supporting prevention, education, stigma reduction, treatment, and recovery services for people who are struggling with opioid use disorder and other substance use disorders.
  • As a society, we need to recognize that the opioid epidemic in this country will not end without profound, inventive solutions, Sunrise Recovery Ranch CEO Marlon Rollins said.
  • Sunrise Recovery Ranch offers MAT as part of its comprehensive services and evidence-based treatment options.

Workit Health Expands Digital Addiction and Mental Health Care to Oregon

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, July 29, 2021

Through Workit's mobile and web apps, people struggling with addiction in Oregon will be able to receive insurance-covered clinical and counseling services.

Key Points: 
  • Through Workit's mobile and web apps, people struggling with addiction in Oregon will be able to receive insurance-covered clinical and counseling services.
  • Workit Health was founded in 2015 by Robin McIntosh and Lisa McLaughlin, two women in long-term recovery from addiction themselves.
  • Workit Health is an addiction healthcare B-corporation offering online, on-demand evidence-based addiction treatment including telehealth medication for opioid use disorder.
  • Workit Health partners with healthcare organizations to deliver an innovative digital health solution that blends the best of human-centered design, technology, and science.

Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety (RMPDS) Launches Public Online Dashboard Showing Non-Medical Prescription and Illicit Drug Use Data in the United States

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, July 29, 2021

Real time surveillance data is used to design treatment programs, preventative measures, and implement policy changes, such as prescription drug monitoring programs.

Key Points: 
  • Real time surveillance data is used to design treatment programs, preventative measures, and implement policy changes, such as prescription drug monitoring programs.
  • Federal data sources such as the National Survey for Drug Use and Health do not offer publicly available state-based data and can take up to two years to release new drug use data.
  • Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety (RMPDS) is stepping up to help solve this problem with the NMURx Public Access Dashboard to get current data to the people who need it.
  • "Having accurate, timely data on drug use is a big factor in addressing the drug epidemic in the US.

Pear Therapeutics Announces Publication of Healthcare Resource Utilization Data Analysis Showing Real-World Cost Impact of reSET-O® in Treating Opioid Use Disorder

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Pear Therapeutics, Inc. , today announced publication of a new analysis demonstrating the real-world cost impact of reSET-O, the first and only FDA-authorized Prescription Digital Therapeutic (PDT) for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD).

Key Points: 
  • Pear Therapeutics, Inc. , today announced publication of a new analysis demonstrating the real-world cost impact of reSET-O, the first and only FDA-authorized Prescription Digital Therapeutic (PDT) for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD).
  • In recent years, OUD has been responsible for approximately two out of every three deaths related to substance use disorder (SUD)14-16.
  • Patients with opioid use disorder experience mental health disease and co-morbid medical problems at higher rates than the general population.
  • Safety and efficacy of a prescription digital therapeutic as an adjunct to buprenorphine for treatment of opioid use disorder.

Prevent Opioid Abuse Calls on Congress to Pass the Opioid Patients’ Right to Know Act

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, July 22, 2021

Pointing to the record number of opioid overdoses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Prevent Opioid Abuse today called on Congress to help put the brakes on further spikes in dependence and addiction throughout the nation by moving expeditiously to pass the Opioid Patients Right to Know Act (H1185).

Key Points: 
  • Pointing to the record number of opioid overdoses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Prevent Opioid Abuse today called on Congress to help put the brakes on further spikes in dependence and addiction throughout the nation by moving expeditiously to pass the Opioid Patients Right to Know Act (H1185).
  • The Opioid Patients Right to Know Act would create a grant program to incentivize states to require prescribers to discuss the addictive qualities of the drugs with patients and inform them of alternative treatment options before prescribing them for acute pain.
  • The Opioid Patients Right to Know Act provides the incentives needed to persuade every state in the nation to adopt this proven prevention measure.
  • The Opioid Patients Right to Know Act is sponsored by U.S. Representative David Trone (D-MD), along with Reps.

Focusing on Solutions to the Opioid Crisis, Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE) Announces Family- and Community-Based Initiatives to Prevent Substance Use Disorder and Overdose

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, July 20, 2021

These children are at greater risk of themselves developing a substance use disorder later in life.

Key Points: 
  • These children are at greater risk of themselves developing a substance use disorder later in life.
  • The Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE) was founded in 2018 as a private 501(c)(3) national, grant-making foundation focused on addressing the nations opioid crisis.
  • FORE is committed to funding a diversity of projects contributing solutions to the crisis at national, state, and community levels.
  • FOREs mission is to support partners advancing patient-centered, innovative, evidence-based solutions impacting people experiencing opioid use disorder, their families, and their communities.

Orexo's flagship pharmaceutical pipeline asset OX124 enters pivotal trial

Retrieved on: 
Friday, July 16, 2021

),(STO:ORX) (OTCQX:ORXOY) today announces that the company has successfully initiated the pivotal trial (OX124-002) for its lead pharmaceutical pipeline asset, OX124.

Key Points: 
  • ),(STO:ORX) (OTCQX:ORXOY) today announces that the company has successfully initiated the pivotal trial (OX124-002) for its lead pharmaceutical pipeline asset, OX124.
  • OX124 is a powerful naloxone rescue medication, designed to reverse opioid overdoses, including those from highly potent synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl.
  • [2]
    The pivotal trial OX124-002 is a 4-period cross-over, comparative bioavailability study in healthy volunteers, comparing two dose regimens of OX124 to two dose regimens of an injection reference product.
  • The study is intended to be the primary support for the OX124 New Drug Application in the US.

National Safety Council Statement on New CDC Drug Overdose Data

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, July 15, 2021

ITASCA, Ill., July 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --The National Safety Council is greatly disappointed by the latest provisional drug overdose data released by the CDC.

Key Points: 
  • ITASCA, Ill., July 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --The National Safety Council is greatly disappointed by the latest provisional drug overdose data released by the CDC.
  • Opioids are the cause of the single worst drug overdose crisis in U.S. history, and the coronavirus pandemic has only exacerbated this epidemic.
  • We call for the confirmation of an Office of National Drug Control Policy leader as soon as possible.
  • The National Safety Council is America's leading nonprofit safety advocate and has been for over 100 years.

Texas Original Compassionate Cultivation Patient Reduces Opioid Intake by 67 Percent with Medical Cannabis

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Texas Original Compassionate Cultivation (TOCC), Texas leading medical cannabis provider, announced today the launch of its patient-centric awareness and advocacy series as it continues to fight the states opioid epidemic and campaign for the expansion of Texas medical cannabis program.

Key Points: 
  • Texas Original Compassionate Cultivation (TOCC), Texas leading medical cannabis provider, announced today the launch of its patient-centric awareness and advocacy series as it continues to fight the states opioid epidemic and campaign for the expansion of Texas medical cannabis program.
  • Advocates for Cannabis in Texasor ACTaims to highlight the Texas patients who have found relief and comfort through the life-changing power of TOCCs medical cannabis.
  • View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210713005308/en/
    Texas Original Compassionate Cultivation patient Casey Lusk successfully reduced his opioid intake from 180 pills to 60 pills each month with medical cannabis that helps relieve painful symptoms.
  • TOCCs medicine has been proven to be a favorable substitute for highly addictive opioids, with one patient effectively managing his symptoms with medical cannabis while reducing his monthly opioid pill intake by approximately 67 percent.