Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
House Committee Alleges China Is Helping To Fuel US Fentanyl Crisis
AP: House Panel Says China Subsidizes Fentanyl Production To Fuel Crisis In The United States
China is fueling the fentanyl crisis in the U.S. by directly subsidizing the manufacturing of materials that are used by traffickers to make the drug outside the country, according to a report released Tuesday by a special House committee focused on countering the Chinese government. Committee investigators said they accessed a government website that revealed tax rebates for the production of specific fentanyl precursors as well as other synthetic drugs as long as those companies sell them outside of China. (Freking, 4/16)
San Francisco Chronicle: S.F. Officials Back California Bill To Expand Methadone Access
In the face of rising fentanyl overdose deaths, San Francisco officials are pushing to change state law to expand the types of clinics that can dispense methadone and make it easier for patients to get take-home doses of the drug. Assembly Member Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, called the measure his “most important bill of the year.” Dr. Christy Soran, a deputy medical director at the San Francisco Department of Public Health, said she sees the legislation as a key tactic to address fentanyl overdoses in the city. (Bollag, 4/16)
CBS News: Santa Monica Protestors Say LA County's Park Needle Distribution Program Is Unsafe
Santa Monica community advocates gathered at Reed Park Tuesday morning to protest the Los Angeles County needle distribution program. While the county says the program saves lives and protects public health, the Santa Monica Coalition says handing out needles in three of the city's public parks attracts drug users to the parks and is a safety issue as needles are discarded throughout the parks. (Sharp, 4/16)
KFF Health News: To Stop Fentanyl Deaths In Philadelphia, Knocking On Doors And Handing Out Overdose Kits
On a narrow street lined with row houses and an auto body shop in the Kensington neighborhood of North Philadelphia, Marsella Elie climbs a home’s front steps and knocks hard on the door. A middle-aged man appears with a wary look on his face. “Hello, sir, how are you doing today?” asked Elie, wearing a royal-blue jacket embroidered with the city government’s Liberty Bell logo. “My name is Marsella. I’m working with the city. You heard about the overdoses that are going around in the neighborhood, right?” (Leonard, 4/17)
CNN: Small Gift Cards Can Be A Key Tool To Stop Stimulant Addiction, But Stigma Stands In The Way
Clyde Davis battled a methamphetamine and heroin addiction for over nine years. He tried various treatment programs, but none worked for him before he reached his insurance maximum and was forced to discharge. “I was trying to die; just putting myself through torture because I didn’t feel like I deserved to live and be happy,” Davis said. (Cheng, 4/16)
