Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
'It’s Time For Big Pharma To Pay For What They’ve Done': NYC Mayor Sues Companies Over Opioid Crisis
The New York Times: New York City Sues Drug Companies Over Opioid Crisis
Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday announced that New York City had filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers and distributors of opioid prescription drugs, joining a national campaign to hold the companies responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars in costs related to the deadly opioid epidemic. It was the second time this month — and the second time in his just-begun sophomore term — that Mr. de Blasio has held a news conference to herald legal action taken against corporate giants that he blames for problems that impact the city and beyond. (Goodman and Neuman, 1/23)
The Wall Street Journal: New York City Sues Companies Over Opioid Abuse
The lawsuit, filed in New York State Supreme Court, seeks half a billion dollars that city officials say they need to fight the opioid epidemic. “More New Yorkers have died from opioid overdoses than car crashes and homicides combined in recent years,” Mr. de Blasio, a Democrat, said in a statement. “Big Pharma helped to fuel this epidemic by deceptively peddling these dangerous drugs and hooking millions of Americans in exchange for profit.” (Ramey and Randazzo, 1/23)
The Hill: New York City Sues Eight Opioid Producers, Distributors
“Big Pharma helped to fuel this epidemic by deceptively peddling these dangerous drugs and hooking millions of Americans in exchange for profit,” Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) said in a news release. “It’s time for hold the companies accountable for what they’ve done to our City, and help save more lives.” (Savransky and Roubein, 1/23)
In other news on the epidemic —
Reuters: U.S. Lets More Healthcare Workers Prescribe Opioid Addiction Treatment
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said on Tuesday it had changed a regulation to allow more healthcare professionals to prescribe a medication used to treat opioid addiction, opening up access in rural America where there are few doctors. Prior to 2000, only physicians could treat those with opioid addiction and had to register with the DEA as both physicians and operators of narcotic treatment programs. The latest change is part of a 2016 law that added categories of practitioners who may prescribe the narcotic drug buprenorphine for maintenance or detoxification treatment, the DEA said in a statement. (Abutaleb, 1/23)
The Associated Press: Philadelphia Wants Safe Injection Sites To Help Opioid Fight
Philadelphia wants to become the first U.S. city to allow supervised drug injection sites as a way to combat the opioid epidemic, officials announced Tuesday, saying they are seeking outside operators to establish one or more in the city. Public Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley said the sites could be "a life-saving strategy and a pathway to treatment," and would be just one piece of the city's overall plan to fight the epidemic. (1/23)
The Baltimore Sun: Hogan Opioid Plan Would Possibly Turn Closed Baltimore Jail Into A Treatment Center
The Hogan administration is considering turning part of the closed Baltimore City Detention Center into a mental health and substance abuse treatment center for inmates as part of its efforts to combat the state’s opioid addiction epidemic. The idea, included in the governor’s broader opioid initiative announced Tuesday, was questioned by some health officials and substance abuse experts who think the state should act now to address this underserved population. (McDaniels, 1/23)
Richmond Times-Dispatch: Several Bills To Address, Curb Opioid Epidemic Soar Through Committees
A slew of bills meant to curb the ongoing opioid epidemic, or address one of its many side effects, soared through their first committee hearings Tuesday. Two subcommittees of the Senate Education and Health Committee heard the bills, which ranged from addressing the soaring number of babies born addicted to opioids to expanding access to and the rules overseeing the state’s prescription monitoring program, a database used to detect patterns of physicians overprescribing opioids. (O'Connor, 1/23)
