Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Biden Administration Unveils Plan To Reduce 'Tranq' Overdose Deaths
NBC News: Biden White House Announces Plan To Reduce "Tranq Dope" Deaths
The Biden administration is taking on the growing use of fentanyl laced with the animal tranquilizer xylazine with a plan to reduce overdose deaths from the drug combination, known as "tranq dope," White House officials announced Tuesday. The aim is to reduce overdose deaths from the combination by 15% within the next two years. (Edwards, 7/11)
Axios: White House Maps Plan To Reduce "Zombie Drug" Overdose Deaths
The White House wants to create a clinical algorithm to predict whether a patient has used xylazine, which could require FDA marketing authorization. That would be in addition to establishing treatment protocols. The administration also wants to conduct human research on potential xylazine antidotes and develop a diagnostic code specific to xylazine to better identify overdose deaths in data. (Moreno, 7/11)
Stat: White House Announces New Plan To Address The Growing Threat Of Xylazine In Overdose Crisis
Since xylazine is not an opioid, it does not respond to naloxone, the medication used to reverse opioid overdoses. While a significant amount of xylazine is known to suppress breathing and cause unconsciousness, it has no antidote. “[W]e are launching coordinated efforts across all of government to ensure we are using every lever we have to protect public health and public safety, and save lives,” Rahul Gupta, the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said in a statement. “As a doctor, I have seen the devastating consequences of xylazine combined with fentanyl firsthand. And as President Biden’s drug policy advisor, I am laser-focused on finding every tool we have and following the best evidence-based practices to take on this new challenge.” (Facher, 7/11)
