In at least 39 states and Washington, D.C., councils consisting of government officials, clinicians, law enforcement officers, and others guide decisions about how to spend settlement dollars. These powerful groups are influencing addiction policy and funding at a time when more than 100,000 Americans are dying of overdoses annually. At least 14 of these councils — including Pennsylvania’s — routinely block members of the public from speaking at their meetings.
Tag Archives: Drugs
How access to opioid treatments has changed in Pennsylvania
Ophelia used CDC data to analyze changes in how Pennsylvania distributes common medications that prevent opioid overdoses and treat substance use disorders, comparing how states are responding to the opioid epidemic as part of a broader national analysis.
Casey bill would expand Medicare coverage for patients with substance use disorders
According to Casey’s office, mortality from drug overdoses among people 65 and older more than tripled between 2000 and 2020. In 2022, some 1.7 million Medicare beneficiaries were estimated to have a SUD.
Casey bill would expand Medicare cap on out-of-pocket drug costs to commercial health care plans
The Capping Prescription Costs Act would cap individual cost-sharing for prescription drugs to $2,000 annually and cap family cost-sharing for prescription drugs to $4,000 annually. The caps would apply to both group health plans and Affordable Care Act marketplace health plans.
Long-awaited substance use recovery grant program passes Pa. House
The proposal, stalled since last year, was amended to another bill on opioid awareness.
Biden administration to greatly ease marijuana regulations
The Biden administration plans to remove marijuana from a list of the most dangerous and highly regulated drugs, the Department of Justice said Tuesday night.
Opill, the first over-the-counter birth control pill, will be on shelves soon − here are some key things to know
The Food and Drug Administration’s 2023 approval of the first over-the-counter birth control pill, called Opill, broadened the options for people seeking to prevent pregnancy. On March 4, 2024, the pill’s manufacturer, Perrigo Company, announced that it has started shipping Opill and that consumers can expect to see it on shelves by the end of the month.
When It Comes to Ketamine, Meta’s Posting Policy Is No Party to Decipher
Whether on Facebook or Instagram, patients and clinics alike are giddy about the possibilities of ketamine. But it is a drug that can be abused and can be deadly. Thus, ketamine is the latest challenge for Meta, the social media platforms’ parent company, which for years has struggled to moderate posts and ads touting health-related products like weight loss supplements and dodgy covid-19 cures.
‘Fourth Wave’ of Opioid Epidemic Crashes Ashore, Propelled by Fentanyl and Meth
The United States is knee-deep in what some experts call the opioid epidemic’s “fourth wave,” which is not only placing drug users at greater risk but is also complicating efforts to address the nation’s drug problem.
Patients See First Savings From Biden’s Drug Price Push, as Pharma Lines Up Its Lawyers
President Joe Biden’s battle against high drug prices is mostly embodied in the IRA, as the law is known — a grab bag of measures intended to give Medicare patients immediate relief and, in the long term, to impose government controls on what pharmaceutical companies charge for their products. The law represents the most significant overhaul for the U.S. drug marketplace in decades.