Latest Drugs Headlines
All the headlines from our Drugs Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Gov. Scott Signs Bill to Combat Florida Prescription Opioid Abuse
Apr 2 2018 // Gov. Rick Scott has signed Florida’s opioid legislation into law, a move seen by many as a good first step in combating a crisis that has claimed at least 16 lives a day in the Sunshine State. “What it does...
Lost Work Time Increases with Long-Term Opioid Prescriptions: WCRI
Apr 2 2018 // Using prescribed opioids adds significant time to temporary disability taken by workers with work-related lower back injuries, according to a new industry study. Temporary disability is time that workers spend away from...
Indiana Workers’ Comp Formulary Bill Sent to Governor
Apr 2 2018 // The Indiana General Assembly passed legislation that adopts a drug formulary for the state’s workers’ compensation system. SB 369 was sent to Gov. Gov. Eric Holcomb for his signature on March 21. The Property...
Walmart Talking with Health Insurer Humana on Closer Ties, Possible Acquisition
Mar 30 2018 // U.S. retailer Walmart Inc. is in early-stage talks with health insurer Humana Inc. about developing closer ties, with the acquisition of Humana being discussed as one possibility, people familiar with the matter said on...
Working with Physicians, Cigna Cuts Prescription Opioid Use by 25%
Mar 28 2018 // Health insurer Cigna said it has achieved a 25 percent reduction in opioid use among its customers as a result of a partnership with more than 1.1 million prescribing physicians. The company said it reached this key metric...
Chicago-Based Dentist Group Puts Teeth into Push to Curb Opioid Use
Mar 27 2018 // The American Dental Association, based in Chicago, wants dentists to drastically cut back on prescribing opioid painkillers. The association announced a new policy that “essentially says eliminate opioids from your...
Opioid Crisis Leads Arkansas Cities, Counties to Sue Drug Makers
Mar 23 2018 // A coalition of cities and counties around Arkansas announced it had sued dozens of makers and distributors of opioids, arguing that the companies should bear the cost of drug abuse in the state. The Association of Arkansas...
Scott Signs Bill to Combat Florida Prescription Opioid Abuse
Mar 21 2018 // Gov. Rick Scott on Monday signed Florida’s opioid legislation into law, a move seen by many as a good first step in combating a crisis that has claimed at least 16 lives a day in the Sunshine State. “What it...
Massachusetts Court: Merck Can Be Sued Over Generic Drug Injury
Mar 19 2018 // Massachusetts’ top court on Friday opened the door for consumers to sue Merck & Co Inc and other makers of brand-name drugs over injuries blamed not on their own medications but on generic versions of their...
Another Oklahoma Tribe Sues Opioid Manufacturers, Distributors
Mar 16 2018 // A tribe in Oklahoma has filed a lawsuit accusing 26 drug manufacturers and distributors of contributing to the tribe’s opioid epidemic by fraudulently misrepresenting the risks and benefits of addictive...
Pharmacy Benefit Manager Regulation Bill Passed in Arkansas
Mar 15 2018 // The Arkansas House and Senate have passed a proposal to regulate pharmacy benefit managers, as lawmakers began a special session focused primarily on addressing a cut in reimbursements rates pharmacists have seen. SB2, the...
Good News on Opioid Usage for a Change – it’s Down in California Workers’ Comp
Mar 14 2018 // Efforts to curb the use of opioids in California’s workers’ compensation system appear to be paying off. New research from the California Workers’ Compensation Institute on prescription drugs used to...
California Workers’ Comp Medical Review Volume Fell Slightly in 2017
Mar 14 2018 // New data on the Independent Medical Review process used to resolve California workers’ compensation medical disputes show that IMR volume dipped for the first time ever in 2017, but the outcomes were unchanged as IMR...
How Insurer and Benefit Manager Mergers Squeeze Out Smaller Pharmacies
Mar 12 2018 // Over 20 years, Brian Komoto built a thriving pharmacy in California’s Central Valley. Each day, his nurses would travel the vast agricultural region’s roads to help hepatitis C patients take a grueling regimen...
Florida Legislature Passes Bill Targeting State Opioid Epidemic
Mar 12 2018 // Florida will institute prescription limits on opioids and increase funding for treatment under a bill passed by the state Legislature on Friday. The legislation to combat the state’s opioids crisis – which...
Study: California Workers Not Weaned Off Opioids Had Much Higher Drug Costs
Mar 9 2018 // Injured workers who were not weaned off of opioids had much higher drug costs and higher treatment transaction volumes, according to a report released on Friday by the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating...
Two More South Carolina Counties Sue Drug Companies Over Opioid Abuse
Mar 9 2018 // Two more South Carolina counties have sued major drug companies because of opioid abuse cases. Media outlets reported that Greenville and Spartanburg counties have sued drugmakers, pharmacies, distributors and doctors. The...
NTSB: Drugs, Phone Use May Have Caused 2015 Arkansas Rail Yard Death
Mar 8 2018 // The National Transportation Safety Board says it found several safety issues during its investigation of a 2015 rail yard death at a Pine Bluff packaging plant. The agency says it found illicit drug use by employees,...
Cigna to Buy Pharmacy Benefits Manager Express Scripts for $52 Billion
Mar 8 2018 // U.S. health insurer Cigna Corp. struck a $52-billion deal to buy pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) Express Scripts Holding Co on Thursday, looking for new ways to hold onto their profits as the industry faces greater...
Longer-Term Opioid Prescriptions Increases Lost Work Time: WCRI Study
Mar 8 2018 // Using prescribed opioids adds significant time to temporary disability taken by workers with work-related lower back injuries, according to a new industry study. Temporary disability is time that workers spend away from...
