Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
'It鈥檚 Getting Worse In Many Ways': Health Professionals Try To Wrap Arms Around Opioid Epidemic
Willey said nationwide deaths from prescription opioids are leveling off, suggesting physicians are tightening their prescribing practices. But at the same time deaths from illegal opiates are on the rise, suggesting people who are addicted are moving to cheap street drugs as an alternative. (Marso, 6/29)
An Arizona company paid an Overland Park pain doctor more than $200,000 over three years to promote its new opiate in presentations to medical practitioners. Now, federal prosecutors have accused six former leaders of the company of handing out speaking gigs to doctors for prescribing Subsys, a concentrated fentanyl spray approved for cancer patients in severe pain. (Marso, 6/29)
An investigation by the attorney general鈥檚 office into New Hampshire鈥檚 largest provider of drug recovery centers has ended with no criminal activity found. But attorneys from the state鈥檚 justice department will be meeting with leadership at Hope for New Hampshire Recovery soon to offer assistance and guidance in the management of the organization. (Sutherland, 6/29)