opioid abuse News

New York Charges Drugmaker Endo with Insurance Fraud Over Opioid Claims

New York state filed civil charges on Wednesday accusing Endo International Plc of insurance fraud for misrepresenting the safety and efficacy of its opioid drugs, adding fuel to the nation’s opioid crisis. Governor Andrew Cuomo said the charges brought by …

Delaware Attorney General Targets Sackler Family in Opioid Lawsuit

Delaware’s attorney general is suing members of the family that controls OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, accusing them of consumer fraud, negligence and creating a public nuisance. Monday’s court filing follows more than a dozen similar lawsuits by other state attorneys …

Purdue-Linked Entities Get Subpoenas from New York State

New York state sent out dozens of subpoenas to entities linked to Purdue Pharma LP and its billionaire owners, the Sackler family, seeking documents that may show the movement of millions of dollars in profit from sales of the highly …

Doctors Not to Blame for All Opioid Misuse; Friends, Family Also Played Roles

In a common narrative of the path to opioid misuse, people become addicted to painkillers after a doctor prescribed them pills to treat an injury and then, later, switch to harder drugs, such as heroin. However, non-medical opioid users were …

How Medical Marijuana Reduces Opioid Use; Saves Lives, Money

Medical marijuana laws could be a boon to those battling the opioid epidemic, according to researchers who have identified a link between increased access to medical marijuana and a reduction in opioid prescriptions. The studies suggest medical marijuana laws (MMLs) …

Chicago-Based Dentist Group Puts Teeth into Push to Curb Opioid Use

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 arsenal if at all possible,” said Dr. Joseph Crowley, the …

Study: California Workers Not Weaned Off Opioids Had Much Higher Drug Costs

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 Bureau. The report, Study of Chronic Opioid Use …

Who Is Most at Risk for Opioid Death and How to Help Them: Columbia Research

Just over 60 percent of individuals who died from an opioid overdose had been diagnosed with a chronic pain condition, and many had been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder, a study of more than 13,000 overdose deaths has found. Only …

Opioid Abuse Has Leveled Off But Isn’t Declining: ASA Analysis

While the upswing in opioid abuse has leveled off, the level does not appear to be declining and remains disturbingly high, according to an analysis of national data presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) annual meeting. More than …

Kentucky AG Hires 4 Law Firms To Investigate Opioid Industry

Kentucky’s Democratic attorney general says he has hired four law firms to investigate and potentially sue several makers and marketers of opioid-based painkillers that have spurred a wave addiction across Appalachia. But Republican Gov. Matt Bevin’s administration said Andy Beshear’s …