Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
U.S. Attorney Wants To Treat Overdose Deaths Like Crime Scenes
Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney known for cracking down on insider trading and public corruption in New York, is tackling a new challenge: the growing opioid epidemic. In a recent initiative, Mr. Bharara has asked local police departments to begin systematically reporting drug overdoses to his office of federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, which includes Manhattan, the Bronx and Westchester County. The goal is to treat every overdose like a potential crime scene, including stringent evidence collection, and bring federal charges against any dealer whose drugs can be linked to an overdose death. (Hong, 11/20)
In mid-August, an affable, 40-year-old man from Everett, Mass., overdosed at his mom's home after almost 25 years of heroin use. Joe Salemi had overdosed before, but this time couldn't be revived. Salemi's brother, Anthony, says he was pretty sure when his brother died that there must have been something besides heroin in the syringe. The medical examiner later confirmed it. (Bebinger, 11/18)
And media outlets report on the crisis from the states —
Arizona has joined a growing list of states that have adopted a dose of tough love for patients seeking prescription pain pills, but some medical experts question the policy's wisdom. Gov. Doug Ducey signed an order last month to limit initial painkiller prescriptions to seven days for Arizona adults insured by Medicaid or the state’s health-insurance plan. (Alltucker, 11/18)
Faced with a rising death toll from opioid abuse, Texas public health officials in May decided to apply for a $1 million federal grant to purchase Naloxone, a drug that, if administered during an overdose, can save the life of a person addicted to heroin or pain pills. (Walters and Taft, 11/20)
New Hampshire is joining 40 other states in a lawsuit against the maker of Suboxone, a drug widely promoted to help opioid addicts. The Attorney General says Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals conspired to monopolize the U.S. Suboxone market, inflating the company's profits. (Rodolico, 11/17)
What to many is known as the opioid epidemic raging through most of the country is, to some, considered a chronic pain epidemic. While illicit drugs like heroin are a major problem, what is becoming an even bigger issue is the improper use of prescription opioids, such as percocet or oxycontin. (Demeria, 11/19)
