Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Founder Of Company That Makes Fentanyl Spray Put Profits Over Patients, Prosecutor Claims In Closing Arguments Of Trial
Reuters: Drug Company Founder Put 'Profits Over Patients' To Push Opioid: U.S. Prosecutor
The founder of Insys Therapeutics Inc put profits over patients' safety by bribing doctors to prescribe an addictive fentanyl spray, fueling the U.S. opioid epidemic, a federal prosecutor said Thursday at the end of a landmark trial. John Kapoor, who served as the drugmaker's chairman, and four colleagues are the first executives of a painkiller manufacturer to face trial for conduct that authorities say was tied to a drug abuse epidemic that kills tens of thousands of Americans each year. (Raymond, 4/4)
The Washington Post: Oklahoma Drops Some Claims Against Opioid Manufacturers
A week after reaching a $270 million settlement with the maker of OxyContin, Oklahoma’s attorney general Thursday dropped some claims in its lawsuit against other drugmakers in an effort to force them to pay the cost of the nation’s deadly opioid crisis. Attorney General Mike Hunter’s office filed a motion that dismisses claims of fraud and deceit, unjust enrichment and violations of the state’s Medicaid laws against about a dozen drugmakers. Hunter said dismissing those claims does not reduce the amount of damages the state is seeking. (Talley, 4/4)
And in other news on the opioid epidemic —
CQ HealthBeat: Lawmakers Renew Focus On Opioids
Calls to address the opioid crisis resumed Thursday as lawmakers released a bill that aims to curb the flow of illegal opioids into the United States and another to help physicians learn more about a patient's substance abuse history. The separate actions by a bipartisan group of senators and another of House members are drawing fresh attention to the overdose crisis, which is a concern for both parties even though Congress cleared an opioids law (PL 115-271) just last year. One of the bills, a Senate measure, stands a good chance of becoming law, said co-sponsor Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y. (Raman, 4/4)
New Hampshire Union Leader: Nation Watching NH's Approach On Opioid Fight
The eyes of the nation are on New Hampshire and how it’s using millions of dollars from the federal government to fight the deadly opioid epidemic. “Tracking Federal Funding to Combat the Opioid Crisis,” a new report from the Bipartisan Policy Center, looks at New Hampshire and four other states with high rates of opioid-related deaths. The Washington, D.C.-based think tank calls for more flexible funding and better coordination at the federal level as states grapple with the ongoing drug epidemic. (Wickham, 4/4)
The Star Tribune: Minneapolis, Hennepin County Unveil New Strategies For Tackling Opioid Epidemic
Minneapolis and Hennepin County officials on Thursday released a sweeping set of recommendations for tackling the opioid epidemic, with a focus on reducing opioid use among incarcerated people and the local American Indian community. The recommendations, the result of over a year of work by a regional task force, look at solutions for preventing and treating opioid abuse in the Twin Cities. At a morning news conference, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the recommendations would likely be implemented through future policies, budgets and grant applications. (Otárola, 4/4)
The Philadelphia Inquirer: Philly Sees Concerning Increase In New HIV Cases Driven By Opioid Epidemic
Currently, 19,199 Philadelphians are living with HIV. In 2017 there were 419 newly diagnosed HIV infections, according to the health department. But from 2016 to 2018, the number of new diagnoses reported in people who inject drugs has nearly doubled to 59, a number that is sure to rise when all the data are finalized, said James Garrow, spokesperson for the Department of Public Health. (Schaefer, 4/4)
