How a single payer system can help solve the US opioid crisis

KATHERINE PETTUS | September 23, 2019 | 180 views

The US now has only a decade to achieve both universal health coverage and to prevent and treat substance abuse under the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Katherine Pettus argues that adopting a single-payer public health system is likely to be the only way to achieve these targets. Government procurement agencies, she writes, will also need to overcome the stigma attached to morphine for palliative care and the treatment of substance use disorder.

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FSC Pediatrics, Inc. was founded in 2004 to address significant unmet needs faced by pediatricians and their patients. FSC Pediatrics markets and distributes pediatric-friendly pharmaceutical products and medical devices that have been approved for children.

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PHARMA TECH

Tips for Managing Chronic Pain Beyond Prescription Painkillers

Article | July 13, 2022

Painkillers like Oxycontin, Percocet, and Vicodin, have been prescribed by primary physicians, surgeons, dentists, and other healthcare providers to patients suffering from varying levels of pain. Though these medications have proven to be an effective source of pain relief, they have also proven to be highly addictive. In fact, it has even been reported that there are more cases of a drug overdose and deaths from prescription painkillers than heroin or cocaine. While there are a number of factors that play into this opioid epidemic, educating doctors and patients on alternative solutions to managing chronic pain is a great place to start combatting this nationwide crisis.

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PHARMA TECH

What are the advantages of PCD Pharma Company?

Article | July 12, 2022

PCD Pharma stands for propaganda distribution. A PCD company gives brand name and support to its franchises. They also provide distribution rights and monopoly rights within a particular region. If a person wants to establish their business, it is a must for them to know the pros and cons of the business to make a sound decision. Needless to mention that PCD company has a lot to contribute in the medical filed. Worldwide in a medical field, A PCD Pharma Company is playing an essential and crucial role in the rapid growth. The pharma industry is progressing t a fast pace. The company uses the latest technologies for each brand which ensures the safety of products and accepts the responsibility of human health & life by providing better outcomes. To have a drug license number and company registration, the cost to establish the company is quite cost-effective that is15000-20000rs. So this gives people a brilliant opportunity to have their unit without digging a big hole in their bank balance. Indian produces exquisite quality products, which make pharma companies a considerable success.

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PHARMA TECH

WALGREEN’S IN HOT WATER OVER PHONY PHARMACIST

Article | September 29, 2022

The drugstore chain agreed to pay $7.5 million in fines after an unlicensed pharmacist at several San Francisco Bay locations illegally filled more than 700,000 prescriptions over a ten-year period. According to California prosecutors, Kim Thien Le stole license numbers from other pharmacists to fill prescriptions for Fentanyl, morphine, and other painkillers. Le pleaded guilty to multiple felony impersonation counts. Walgreen’s agreed to the settlement to avoid being charged with consumer fraud in Alameda and Santa Anna Counties. Prosecutors alleged that Walgreen’s failed to verify Le’s license and did not conduct a thorough background check. The company insisted it has taken remedial measures.

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How Can Medical Cannabis Help to Manage Pain Conditions? – The Cannabis Exchange

Article | February 11, 2020

Pain management is one of the most common reasons for the use of medical cannabis products. However, despite many jurisdictions – including Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands – now allowing the prescription of medical cannabis for this purpose, there remains little ‘high-quality’ evidence to support, or oppose its efficacy. Madden et al. (2018) set out to review the evidence available in order to determine the efficacy of medical cannabis when employed in the management of various forms of musculoskeletal pain. The researchers analysed various studies that assessed the use of cannabinoids in the treatment of arthritis pain; back pain; postoperative pain; and trauma-related pain. It is estimated that up to 30% of the population may suffer from a non-cancer-related pain condition. As such a high percentage of people suffer from these conditions, the development of simple and safe therapies is an essential area of research. This is particularly important as the therapeutic options for people with chronic pain are increasingly limited.

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FSC Pediatrics

FSC Pediatrics, Inc. was founded in 2004 to address significant unmet needs faced by pediatricians and their patients. FSC Pediatrics markets and distributes pediatric-friendly pharmaceutical products and medical devices that have been approved for children.

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CCA Shows Success in Managing Members’ Pain and Opioid Use

Managed Healthcare Executive | November 11, 2019

The United States is battling an opioid crisis, and it is critically important that healthcare organizations do what they can to identify patients at high risk of suffering from the negative effects of this form of pain management. One organization addressing this issue is Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA), a not-for-profit healthcare organization that serves more than 32,000 low-income, disabled, and elderly patients across Massachusetts who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. These individuals are often referred to as “super-users” of the healthcare system, as they make up only 5% of the population but account for about half of healthcare spending. Because of their complex patient profile, 20% of CCA members take opioid medications—a number much greater than the general population. This high rate, combined with the inherent challenges associated with managing pain and care with opioids, led to the creation of CCA’s statewide High Opioid Patient Engagement (HOPE) program, which manages the risk of overdose and reduced opioid dependence among members.

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Opioid Addiction Can be Controlled Using an In-Brain Chip Technology: First U.S. Clinical Trial

LabRoots | November 06, 2019

Opioid addiction is a chronic disease that can cause significant health, social, and economic problems. Opioids are a class of drugs that act in the nervous system to produce feelings of pleasure and pain relief. The overdose of opioids negatively affects a person's personal and professional relationships. Some opioids are legally prescribed by healthcare providers to manage severe and chronic pain. According to the US Department of Health & Human Services, there were 47,600 of opioids overdose deaths, and more than130 people died from opioid-related drug overdoses in 2016 and 2017. Researchers in China conducted the first clinical trial of DBS for methamphetamine addiction at Shanghai's Ruijin Hospital in China, along with tests for opioid addicts. The patients are resistant to the various treatments for opioid addiction. Researchers at the West Virginia University Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI) and West Virginia University Medicine are conducting the first clinical trial in the US that uses deep brain stimulation (DBS) to treat opioid addiction.

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Purdue Pharma settlements a window into U.S. opioid crisis

The DePaulia | October 21, 2019

After more than 2,600 lawsuits nationwide involving their role in the opioid epidemic sweeping through the country, Purdue Pharma — the manufacturer of prescription painkiller OxyContin — filed for bankruptcy Sept. 16. In 2017, opioids were responsible for 47,600 of the 70,237 U.S. drug overdose deaths — with more than 28,000 of these opioid-related deaths being attributed to synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl. From 1999 to 2017, more than 400,000 Americans have died from opioid overdoses. The declaration of bankruptcy followed a tentative $10 to $12 billion settlement with 27 states and thousands of cities and counties throughout the nation — with nearly 20 other states rejecting the terms of the settlement. Dr. Richard Blondell, physician and vice chair for addiction medicine at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo, said the company’s heavy marketing downplaying the addictive nature of OxyContin helped start the epidemic. “They promoted this drug heavily,” Blondell said. “I can remember representatives coming around with little bags, pens and clocks. They had a clock that just had 12 on there to remind us to prescribe it every 12 hours. The older physicians said, ‘Boy don’t listen to them. They don’t know what they’re talking about, these are addictive drugs,’ — and it turns out those old, family doctors were right.” Dr. Steven Aks, immersive physician and head of toxicology at Cook County Health, said it’s important to distinguish that there are two “faces” to the current opioid epidemic: pharmaceutical pills and street drugs.

Read More

CCA Shows Success in Managing Members’ Pain and Opioid Use

Managed Healthcare Executive | November 11, 2019

The United States is battling an opioid crisis, and it is critically important that healthcare organizations do what they can to identify patients at high risk of suffering from the negative effects of this form of pain management. One organization addressing this issue is Commonwealth Care Alliance (CCA), a not-for-profit healthcare organization that serves more than 32,000 low-income, disabled, and elderly patients across Massachusetts who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. These individuals are often referred to as “super-users” of the healthcare system, as they make up only 5% of the population but account for about half of healthcare spending. Because of their complex patient profile, 20% of CCA members take opioid medications—a number much greater than the general population. This high rate, combined with the inherent challenges associated with managing pain and care with opioids, led to the creation of CCA’s statewide High Opioid Patient Engagement (HOPE) program, which manages the risk of overdose and reduced opioid dependence among members.

Read More

Opioid Addiction Can be Controlled Using an In-Brain Chip Technology: First U.S. Clinical Trial

LabRoots | November 06, 2019

Opioid addiction is a chronic disease that can cause significant health, social, and economic problems. Opioids are a class of drugs that act in the nervous system to produce feelings of pleasure and pain relief. The overdose of opioids negatively affects a person's personal and professional relationships. Some opioids are legally prescribed by healthcare providers to manage severe and chronic pain. According to the US Department of Health & Human Services, there were 47,600 of opioids overdose deaths, and more than130 people died from opioid-related drug overdoses in 2016 and 2017. Researchers in China conducted the first clinical trial of DBS for methamphetamine addiction at Shanghai's Ruijin Hospital in China, along with tests for opioid addicts. The patients are resistant to the various treatments for opioid addiction. Researchers at the West Virginia University Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI) and West Virginia University Medicine are conducting the first clinical trial in the US that uses deep brain stimulation (DBS) to treat opioid addiction.

Read More

Purdue Pharma settlements a window into U.S. opioid crisis

The DePaulia | October 21, 2019

After more than 2,600 lawsuits nationwide involving their role in the opioid epidemic sweeping through the country, Purdue Pharma — the manufacturer of prescription painkiller OxyContin — filed for bankruptcy Sept. 16. In 2017, opioids were responsible for 47,600 of the 70,237 U.S. drug overdose deaths — with more than 28,000 of these opioid-related deaths being attributed to synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl. From 1999 to 2017, more than 400,000 Americans have died from opioid overdoses. The declaration of bankruptcy followed a tentative $10 to $12 billion settlement with 27 states and thousands of cities and counties throughout the nation — with nearly 20 other states rejecting the terms of the settlement. Dr. Richard Blondell, physician and vice chair for addiction medicine at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo, said the company’s heavy marketing downplaying the addictive nature of OxyContin helped start the epidemic. “They promoted this drug heavily,” Blondell said. “I can remember representatives coming around with little bags, pens and clocks. They had a clock that just had 12 on there to remind us to prescribe it every 12 hours. The older physicians said, ‘Boy don’t listen to them. They don’t know what they’re talking about, these are addictive drugs,’ — and it turns out those old, family doctors were right.” Dr. Steven Aks, immersive physician and head of toxicology at Cook County Health, said it’s important to distinguish that there are two “faces” to the current opioid epidemic: pharmaceutical pills and street drugs.

Read More

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