Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
After Record Pandemic Highs, Drug Overdose Death Rate Slows
CBS News: Drug Overdose Deaths Slow After Reaching Record Highs In 2021, CDC Data Shows
The rate of drug overdose deaths has slowed from record-high levels, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC estimated that there have been 107,735 predicted overdose deaths in the 12-month period that ended on July 2022. (Breen, 12/14)
The Boston Globe: ‘We’re Not Out Of The Woods’: Opioid-Related Deaths Declined This Year, But Just Slightly
The devastating toll of opioid-related deaths in Massachusetts may have started to abate this year, after reaching an all-time high in 2021, according to new data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The twice-yearly report, released Wednesday, shows mortality dropped by 1.5 percent in the first nine months of 2022 compared to the same period last year. (Freyer, 12/14)
Also —
CBS News: Top Justice Department Official Calls On Social Media Companies To Do More As Teens Die From Fentanyl
The Drug Enforcement Administration says it is investigating more than 120 cases that involve social media. The agency has issued a warning about emoji code language dealers use to target young buyers. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, who oversees the DEA, says fentanyl is the agency's top priority. (O'Donnell, Hastey, Morse and Yilek, 12/14)
The Wall Street Journal: The Tragic Rise Of Fentanyl, Mapped
In just a few years, illicit fentanyl has pushed America’s drug fatalities to a record, reaching into every corner and demographic group in the country. (Rust and Kamp, 12/14)
The Washington Post: Five Down In Apt. 307: Mass Fentanyl Deaths Test A Colorado Prosecutor
From the doorway of Apt. 307, District Attorney Brian Mason could see the five bodies inside. They lay awkwardly on the floor and couch, their arms and legs contorted — a sign of sudden collapse. A man in jeans and closest to the door was splayed on his back, his left leg bent at an odd angle. Not far from him, a woman with long brown hair was slumped on the kitchen floor, her face pressed against a lower cupboard. Another woman, in a black sweatshirt, lay just past the kitchen counter nearby. On a love seat toward the back of the room, a man sat frozen. A woman in a gray T-shirt had toppled over him, her head resting on his chest. Blood dripped from their faces. (Horwitz, Kornfield, Miroff and Rich, 12/15)
New Hampshire Public Radio: N.H. To Receive $15 Million From Walmart For Opioid Crisis Recovery And Treatment
Attorney General John Formella announced Wednesday that New Hampshire will receive $15.5 million from Walmart over the next year to fund recovery services and treatment for people living with opioid use disorder. The agreement is part of a national settlement with the supermarket and pharmacy chain that alleges Walmart contributed to the opioid crisis by not properly overseeing the dispensing of the medications at its pharmacies. (Furukawa, 12/14)
