Addiction

HHS has proposed changes to a regulation that protects patient privacy and records concerning treatment related to substance use challenges from unauthorized disclosures. According to a release from HHS, the move was made through the Office for Civil Rights and SAMHSA.

A patient activation intervention along with addiction treatment was associated with long-term improvements in primary care engagement, a study found.

A behavioral change digital health company has announced positive results from a randomized controlled trial for its app-based digital tool for tobacco use cessation.

The Charles Drew Health Center and Siena Francis House have launched Nebraska’s first medical respite program for homeless individuals.

Spark Biomedical has announced a partnership with AcuityMD to promote Spark’s noninvasive therapeutic to treat withdrawal symptoms associated with opioid use disorder.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse has awarded Phoenix PharmaLabs $8.7 million to study PPL-138, a compound to treat cocaine use disorder.

In preparation for a fourth edition of The ASAM Criteria, Hazelden Publishing is accepting feedback on recently posted draft standards for caring for patients with addiction or substance use disorders.

HHS has awarded more than $1.6 billion in investments for communities across the country to address the addiction and overdose crises.

A timed series analysis of a safer opioid supply program in Ontario, Canada, showed decreased rates of ED visits, hospitalizations and health care costs, researchers reported in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

A new report from the CDC showed that overdose death rates jumped in 2020, especially for people in underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. CDC officials said the historic increase was largely driven by fentanyl.