Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
FDA Sharpens Stance Against Herbal Supplement Kratom: 'It Isn’t Just A Plant — It’s An Opioid'
The Washington Post: FDA Ramps Up Warnings About Kratom, Calling Unregulated Herb An 'Opioid'
The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday intensified its warnings about kratom, saying new research provides strong evidence that the unregulated botanical substance has “opioid properties” and is associated with 44 deaths. “We feel confident in calling compounds found in kratom, opioids,” FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a statement. The agency's conclusion is based on recent computational modeling and on scientific literature and reports of adverse effects in people, he said. The new data, he added, reinforced agency concerns about kratom’s “potential for abuse, addiction and serious health consequences, including death.” (McGinley, 2/6)
The Associated Press: Herbal Supplement Kratom Contains Opioids, Regulators Say
The Food and Drug Administration analysis, published Tuesday, makes it more likely that the supplement, kratom, could be banned by the federal government. The FDA also said it has identified 44 reports of death involving kratom since 2011, up from 36 reported in November. Sold in various capsules and powders, kratom has gained popularity in the U.S. as a treatment for pain, anxiety and drug dependence. Proponents argue that the substance is safer than opioid painkillers like OxyContin and Vicodin, which have contributed to an epidemic of drug abuse. More than 63,000 Americans died in 2016 from drug overdoses, mostly from opioids. (Perrone, 2/6)
Stat: FDA Calls Kratom An 'Opioid' And Warns Against Using The Supplement
Some users have argued that kratom is a safe way to treat pain and wean oneself off opioids, but the agency concluded otherwise — based on case reports and a computer analysis of the molecular structure of kratom ingredients. “Kratom should not be used to treat medical conditions, nor should it be used as an alternative to prescription opioids,” Gottlieb said. “There is no evidence to indicate that kratom is safe or effective for any medical use.” (Boodman, 2/6)
The Hill: GOP Chairman Blasts DEA Over Reduced Opioid Enforcement
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-Ore.) on Tuesday blasted the Drug Enforcement Administration for failing to provide information requested by the panel on why it has cut back enforcement actions against opioid distributors. The committee had asked the DEA why it dramatically cut back on “immediate suspension orders” freezing suspicious shipments of opioids by drug distribution companies. (Sullivan, 2/6)
And in the states —
The Associated Press: Alabama Files Lawsuit Against Opioid Manufacturer
Alabama filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against the manufacturer of OxyContin and other opioids, becoming the latest state seeking to hold drug companies accountable for an addiction epidemic. Alabama Attorney General Alabama Steve Marshall filed the lawsuit in Montgomery federal court against Purdue Pharma, L.P. and its branches. The lawsuit claims the manufacturer engaged in deceptive marketing practices that misled patients and doctors about the benefits of the drugs and the risks of addiction to the powerful painkillers. (Chandler, 2/6)
WBUR: Study Finds Simple Test Strips Are Effective In Testing For Fentanyl
A study from Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health and Brown University found that the off-label use of a fentanyl testing strip could accurately detect the presence of the opioid, which has been blamed for most of the overdose deaths in Massachusetts. The test strip, which is similar to urine or pregnancy test strips, was more accurate than two other drug testing devices that are often used by law enforcement. (Becker, 2/6)
Cincinnati Enquirer: Hamilton County Heroin New Anti-Heroin Efforts Touted
It won't be long before medically stable overdose patients in Hamilton County will be ushered into a center where they can stay short-term, be assessed and sent into treatment. The idea: Moving the addicted population directly into treatment before they relapse again or die. (DeMio, 2/6)
Sacramento Bee: California Lawmakers Take On Opiate Abuse With Technology
On Tuesday, the chairman of the Assembly Business and Professions Committee will hold a hearing to explore ways the state can leverage its status as the cradle of technology to take on the opioid addiction crisis. Democratic Assemblyman Evan Low and his colleagues have offered a slate of proposals to address physician over-prescribing and other culprits. (Cadelago, 2/6)
