Declining Opioid Prescription Rates Show That Drumbeat Of Alarm Over Crisis Is Producing Results

The New York Times: As Opioid Prescriptions Fall, Prescriptions For Drugs To Treat Addiction Rise
The number of new monthly prescriptions for medications that treat opioid addiction nearly doubled over the past two years, according to new data, while prescriptions for opioid painkillers continued to decline. The changing calculus reflects a stepping up of efforts among policymakers and the medical establishment to address the nation’s opioid epidemic, which is killing more than 115 people every day. But it also underscores questions about whether some pain patients are now being undertreated, and whether tightened prescribing over the last few years has contributed to the surge in overdose deaths from heroin and especially fentanyl. (Goodnough, 4/19)

Stat: In The Throes Of An Opioid Crisis, Prescriptions Fell Dramatically Last Year 
“We saw the imposition of new programs by states and a greater focus by the surgeon general and federal government in reducing opioid prescribing,” said Murray Aitken, an IQVIA senior vice president and executive director of the institute. “While we cannot attribute the decline to anything particular, in aggregate, it looks as if those measures are having a market impact.” Indeed, the data suggest that the drumbeat of alarm expressed by a plethora of government officials and policymakers is starting to sway medical practice. The White House declared a public health emergency and Congress is considering legislation that would address a mix of insurance coverage, payment issues, prescription regulations for Medicaid beneficiaries, and prevention strategies. (Silverman, 4/19)

Bloomberg: How An Opioid Deadlier Than Heroin Became Off Limits For Researchers 
A powerful illegal opioid is causing tens of thousands of deaths, but a standoff between government researchers and federal law enforcement is keeping scientists from finding a way to stop it from killing. Overdoses from synthetic opioids called fentanyl have surged more than 500 percent since 2013, killing roughly 20,000 people in the U.S. in 2016 and outpacing deaths from heroin. Worryingly, people who overdose on such designer drugs, known collectively as China White, have been said to be less responsive to antidotes now widely carried by first responders. (Edney, 4/19)

CQ: Senate Finance Kicks Off Its Opioid Debate
The Senate Finance Committee dove into tackling the opioid crisis on Thursday with its first hearing on improving Medicaid, Medicare and other programs that cope with the effects of substance abuse directly. Both parties expressed an interest in bipartisanship, though Democrats voiced strong concerns about the role of drug manufacturers and the high price of opioid overdose reversal drugs. (Raman, 4/19)

And in other news on the crisis —

The New York Times: Prince’s Overdose Death Results In No Criminal Charges
No one will be criminally charged in the 2016 death of Prince by accidental fentanyl overdose, law enforcement authorities in Minnesota announced on Thursday, saying that they could not determine who had provided the powerful drug that killed him. The musician had been struggling with a dependence on painkillers and most likely believed he was taking Vicodin, which does not contain fentanyl, the Carver County attorney, Mark Metz, said in a news conference. Prince actually took a look-alike, counterfeit version of the drug that was far more powerful and dangerous, Mr. Metz said. (Coscarelli and Eldred, 4/19)

The Associated Press: As Prince's Health Waned, Alarm Grew In Inner Circle
Some of Prince's closest confidants had grown increasingly alarmed about his health in the days before he died and tried to get him help as they realized he had an opioid addiction — yet none were able to give investigators the insight they needed to determine where the musician got the fentanyl that killed him, according to investigative documents released Thursday. Just ahead of this weekend's two-year anniversary of Prince's death, prosecutors announced they would file no criminal charges in the case and the state investigation was closed. (Forliti, 4/20)

The Associated Press: Virginia To Receive Nearly $10M To Fight Opioid Crisis
Virginia will receive nearly $10 million in federal grant money to help combat the opioid crisis.The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Thursday its second year of funding through the Opioid State Targeted Response program. Virginia is getting $9.76 million. A press release says recipients used the first year’s funding to implement medication-assisted treatment, promote prevention strategies as well as the use of the antidote naloxone, and build sustainable recovery support services. (4/20)

The Star Tribune: Health Systems Trim Opioid Prescriptions 
A new HealthPartners study showed that it is possible to substantially cut opioid prescriptions, which makes sense because a new Mayo Clinic study showed that patients don’t take most of their opioid painkillers anyway. The findings this week by two influential health care providers in Minnesota offer further evidence of the overprescribing over the past two decades that has resulted in a rapid rise in opioid addictions and overdose deaths. (Olson, 4/20)

Health News Florida: Feds Give Florida Another $27M For Opioid Crisis
Florida will get another $27 million dollars this year from the federal government to combat the opioid crisis. The money is part of a two-year $54 million grant, which the state began spending last year after Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency for the opioid epidemic. (Ochoa, 4/19)

CNN: Turning Points: Woman Loses 2 Sons In One Night To Opioids
"Everything just kind of seemed like a blur that day," Becky Savage said. "Your mind is not really meant to process something that extreme."The day Savage is describing is June 14, 2015. Her two oldest sons, Nick and Jack, were celebrating at high school graduation parties the night before. The boys came home about 12:30 a.m. and checked in with their mom, who had been waiting up. (Bergeron, 4/20)