Category: substance abuse

Clinicians Who Learn Of A Patient’s Opioid Death Modestly Cut Back On Prescriptions

A study published Thursday shows that doctors, dentists and other medical providers cut overall opioid dosages by nearly 10 percent after receiving notification of a death from a medical examiner and information on safe prescribing.

As Opioid Crisis Rages, Some Trade ‘Tough Love’ For Empathy

An approach known as Community Reinforcement and Family Training, or CRAFT, coaches families to deal with a loved one’s substance abuse with compassion.

How Rival Opioid Makers Sought To Cash In On Alarm Over OxyContin’s Dangers

Fentanyl and other painkillers marketed as safer than Purdue Pharma’s blockbuster drug left their own trail of overdose deaths.

Patients With Chronic Pain Feel Caught In An Opioid-Prescribing Debate

States are passing laws that limit a doctor’s ability to prescribe opioids. Doctors and patients alike are wrestling with what that means in cases of chronic pain.

What A U.S.-China Trade War Could Mean For The Opioid Epidemic

The nation’s effort to combat this public health crisis could get caught in the crossfire of the Trump administration’s trade policies.

Texas Clinics Busting Traditional Silos Of Mental And Physical Health Care

Efforts to provide care that integrates physical and mental health services are spreading, partly because untreated mental health conditions negatively affect physical health and escalate health care costs.

Doling Out Pain Pills Post-Surgery: An Ingrown Toenail Not The Same As A Bypass

As the opioid epidemic rages, a Johns Hopkins surgeon and researcher is leading an effort to curb overprescribing by offering procedure-specific guidelines to ensure that post-surgical patients leave the hospital with enough, but not too much, pain medication.