Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
California Takes Steps To Increase Access To Anti-Overdose Medication
The California Department of Public Health on Thursday issued a statewide standing order for naloxone, the emergency antidote that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. The order, issued by agency Director Dr. Karen Smith, functions as a standing prescription that enables all California organizations that work to reduce or manage drug addiction — such as sober living facilities, needle exchange programs and residential treatment centers — to distribute naloxone to patients and members of the community. The facilities would no longer have to get a prescription from an individual doctor. (Ho, 6/8)
The KC Perinatal Recovery Collaborative was formed because of data that shows the number of babies at risk of painful withdrawal symptoms in the first year of life has grown every year since 2011, going from 461 that year to 2,112 in 2016. A change in the way such symptoms are diagnosed caused some of the spike, but federal official Kimberly Nelson said the overall trend is real and opioids are likely to blame. (Marso, 6/9)
The St. Louis County Public Health and Human Services Department has launched a new, tiered opioid abuse prevention project, with support from the Minnesota Department of Health. (Moen, 6/10)
