Opioid Addiction
CDC reports more than 100,000 overdose deaths in 1-year period
For the first time, provisional data from the CDC showed that more than 100,000 people in the United States died from drug overdoses in a 12-month period.
Opioid agonist treatment 'important intervention' for those with opioid dependence
Opioid agonist treatment reduced mortality rates among people with opioid dependence, according to results of a systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA Psychiatry.
Most people use kratom to self-manage opioid addiction
Most people who used kratom did so to self-treat their opioid dependence or withdrawal, according to an analysis of 500 YouTube videos.
Short, low-dose opioid prescriptions may increase youths’ risk for persistent use
Short and low-dose opioid prescriptions may increase risk for persistent use among high-risk youths, according to results of a cohort study published in JAMA Network Open.
Q&A: Physicians improve buprenorphine access for the homeless amid COVID-19
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Drug Enforcement Administration announced it would temporarily ease restrictions on access to buprenorphine for opioid use disorder.
Cannabis associated with reduced fentanyl exposure in Vancouver study
Patients who used cannabis and underwent opioid agonist therapy in Vancouver had a significantly lower risk of being exposed to fentanyl, according to a study published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
Fewer people initiated OUD treatment in early months of COVID-19 pandemic
Although clinical visits and refills among patients already receiving opioid use disorder medication did not decrease during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer people initiated new treatment, according to research published in JAMA Network Open.
Should opioids continue to be a component of pain management for children with cancer?
Opioids are needed when the pain cannot be blocked with a regional intervention, or when the pain is severe and the patient is on active chemotherapy and cannot have acetaminophen or anti-inflammatories. The use of opioids should ideally be short-term, at the lowest effective dose and used as needed — we would want to add other lines of therapy when the rest of the medical picture allows.
VIDEO: HERO study shows ‘remarkable cure rates’ in PWIDs treated for HCV
Treatment of hepatitis C virus in high-risk people via methadone clinics showed high rates of sustained virologic response, according to a presentation at The Digital Liver Meeting Experience.
Four ways PCPs can provide ‘financially sustainable’ buprenorphine-based treatment
Researchers identified four approaches to providing buprenorphine-based treatment in primary care settings that could yield net practice revenues of up to $70,000 per physician.