Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
In Rare Public Health Advisory, Surgeon General Urges Family And Friends To Carry Anti-Overdose Medication
The Associated Press: Surgeon General Urges Americans To Carry Overdose Antidote
The nation's chief doctor wants more Americans to start carrying the overdose antidote naloxone in an effort to combat the nation's opioid crisis. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams is expected to speak on the new public health advisory Thursday morning at the National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit in Atlanta. (Rico, 4/5)
Stat: Surgeon General Urges Public To Carry Overdose-Reversal Medication
The recommendation comes in the form of a surgeon general’s advisory, a tool used to draw attention to major public health issues. The last one, focused on drinking during pregnancy, was issued in 2005. “What makes this one of those rare moments is we’re facing an unprecedented drug epidemic,” Adams told STAT in a phone interview Wednesday. (Joseph, 4/5)
NPR: Surgeon General Urges More Americans To Carry Opioid Antidote
Police officers and EMTs often have naloxone at the ready. Access to the drug for the general public has been eased in the past few years, too. The medicine is now available at retail pharmacies in most states without a prescription. Between 2013 and 2015, researchers found a tenfold increase in naloxone sold by retail pharmacies in the U.S. But prices have increased along with demand. Naloxone-filled syringes that used to cost $6 a piece now cost $30 and up. A two-pack of naloxone nasal spray can cost $135 or more. And a two-pack of automatic naloxone injectors runs more than $3,700. (Martin and Wilhelm, 4/5)
CQ: NIH Director Announces Opioid Initiative
National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins on Wednesday announced a new effort designed to target the opioid epidemic through scientific solutions. The Helping to End Addiction Long-term, or HEAL, Initiative will build on existing research like the development of drugs intended to curb opioid abuse and is made possible in part by a funding increase from Congress. Funding for opioid use disorder research increased from about $600 million in fiscal year 2016 to $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2018. (Raman, 4/4)
And in news from Capitol Hill —
The Hill: Senate Health Committee Releases Draft Of Bipartisan Opioid Bill
Senate Health Committee leaders released Wednesday a bipartisan discussion draft of a bill aimed at combating the opioid epidemic, legislation that's the result of six hearings over the past six months. The panel will hold a hearing next week on the draft aimed at stemming the crisis killing thousands of people each year. It includes measures attempting to make it easier to prescribe smaller packs of opioids for limited durations, spur the development of nonaddictive painkillers and bolster the detection of illegal drugs at the border. (Roubein, 4/4)
CQ: Senate Panel Unveils Draft Bill To Combat Opioid Addiction
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee plans to discuss this legislation at an upcoming hearing on April 11. The committee has already held six hearings on the opioid crisis thus far this Congress featuring representatives from agencies including the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as governors from states affected by the crisis. “We’ve been listening to the experts for the last six months on how the federal government can help states and communities bring an end to the opioid crisis, and the bipartisan proposals in this draft reflect what we’ve learned,” said committee Chairman Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn. (Raman, 4/4)
CQ: Senate Finance Eyes Action On Opioid Epidemic
The Senate Finance Committee plans to focus on the opioid epidemic when Congress returns from a two-week hiatus next week. Committee leaders are currently soliciting proposals from members on solutions to address the ongoing crisis, with an eye to holding a hearing in the coming weeks, according to a Democratic aide. The proposals, due this week, address issues such as prescription drug monitoring programs, sharing data, access to health screenings and information for prescribers, according to a lobbyist familiar with the talks. (Clason, 4/4)
