Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Maryland Changes Preferred Opioid Treatment But Critics Say New Drug Is Less Effective
Maryland Medicaid officials have made what appears to be a small change to the list of preferred medications to treat opioid addictions. The agency used to pay for the drug in a dissolvable film form. Now it's steering patients to tablets, which some doctors say are not as effective for their patients. Those doctors say the change is having a profound effect on some people struggling to stay clean. (Kodjak, 7/19)
Naloxone, an antidote that reverses the effect of an opioid overdose, became available this month at some Florida pharmacies without a prescription. A new state law allows pharmacists to dispense the medicine in the form of nasal spray or injection. Some pharmacies say they've either begun providing naloxone, or are making plans to do so. (Erickson, 7/20)
