Search Results for: opioid

Big Pharma is Killing Native Americans with Opioids, Tribes are Fighting Back

Big Pharma is Killing Native Americans with Opioids, Tribes are Fighting Back

Posted by | Jun 23, 2017 | , , , , , , , , |

Despite widespread awareness and public health campaigns, the opioid epidemic in this country has reached alarming levels. Due in large part to opioid overdoses, the overall life expectancy in the US fell for the first time since 1993. The problem has affected every part of the country, with minority communities, like Native American Tribes seeing the worst of the crisis. Because of the widespread nature of the epidemic, governments and tribes are spending exorbitant amounts of money to treat addiction and overdose. Medical Care reported that: Aggregate costs for prescription opioid overdose, abuse, and dependence were estimated at over $78.5 billion...

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For First Time, FDA Seeks to Ban Opioid For Its Addictive Qualities

For First Time, FDA Seeks to Ban Opioid For Its Addictive Qualities

Posted by | Jun 15, 2017 | , |

With the strength of the ongoing opioid epidemic, it may come as a surprise that the regulatory agency which oversees the approval of pharmaceuticals is only just now pulling an opioid from the shelves because of its addictive nature.  On Thursday, the FDA announced that they would recalling Opana ER solely because of its likelihood to trigger addiction and cause dependency. Endo Pharmaceuticals, the company that makes Opana ER has been ordered by the FDA to recall the drug. FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb issued a statement on the decision, openly announcing that the recall was the first of its kind....

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Christie Battles Opioid Addiction By Making Overdose Antidote Narcan Available Without a Prescription

Christie Battles Opioid Addiction By Making Overdose Antidote Narcan Available Without a Prescription

Posted by | Jun 13, 2017 | , , |

Despite demonizing marijuana and spending far too much time on his own personal scandals, there have been moments in Chris Christie’s career when he was a champion of sorts in the fight against the opioid epidemic. The first of such accomplishments occurred when Christie came out strongly during the 2016 primary, distancing himself from more punitive opponents and choosing instead to view addiction through the lens of illness, rather than punishment. Christie remarked in November of 2015, when his presidential ambitions were still bright, “What we need to come to grips with is addiction is a disease and no...

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Elderly Doctor Busted For Prescribing Millions of Illegal Opioids

Elderly Doctor Busted For Prescribing Millions of Illegal Opioids

Posted by | Jun 11, 2017 | , , |

A New York physician was arrested on Monday after police determined that he doled out thousands of illegal prescriptions for opioids over the last several years. Family Doctor Martin Tesher, 81, is suspected of writing as many as 14,000 illegal prescriptions. All told, Tesher handed out 2.2. million oxycodone pills over the span of 5 years. Tesher lacked the specialized training necessary to such a high volume of pain pill prescriptions and distributed drugs indiscriminately, even giving pills to known addicts. James Hunt, the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Special Agent-in-Charge had this to say about the Doctor’s special brand of pain management:...

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Opioids Don’t Care If You’re Rich or Poor, Black or White: Death Rates Rising In All Groups

Opioids Don’t Care If You’re Rich or Poor, Black or White: Death Rates Rising In All Groups

Posted by | Jun 9, 2017 | , , |

Thanks to the epidemic created in doctors’ offices and medicine cabinets across the country, the death rate is rising in America for nearly every racial and economic group, even among Americans who are in their prime. When it comes to addicting opioids, the pills don’t care if you’re rich or poor, black or white – it will come for us all. That is, if we allow ourselves to become addicted through a series of unfortunate events beginning with greedy pharmaceutical companies and ending with a lack of social programs to treat addiction. According to the latest numbers from the...

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