Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Ketamine In Public Spotlight After Its Role In Actor Matthew Perry's Death
The Wall Street Journal: Matthew Perry’s Death Darkens Ketamine’s Startup Glow
Matthew Perry’s death from the effects of ketamine brought new scrutiny to the booming business to prescribe the powerful anesthetic to patients in clinics and online. Perry was receiving ketamine infusions for depression and anxiety before he was found unresponsive in the pool at his Pacific Palisades, Calif., home on Oct. 28. Drowning, coronary artery disease and effects of buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid-use disorder, contributed to his accidental death, the autopsy report released on Friday said. (Winkler and Abbott, 12/16)
Los Angeles Times: What Is Ketamine, The Drug Cited In Matthew Perry's Death
The finding by the Los Angeles County medical examiner that “Friends” star Matthew Perry died from “acute effects” of ketamine is generating interest in the drug. Ketamine is generally safe when taken under medical supervision, experts said, but the Perry case also underscores potential risks. Here are some basics about the drug from Times reporting ... (Alpert Reyes and Winton, 12/16)
USA Today: What Are Ketamine Infusion Clinics Where Matthew Perry Sought Help
The ketamine infusion actor Matthew Perry received days before his Oct. 28 death has become a popular mental health treatment across the U.S. A lower dose of the traditional anesthetic has been used to treat symptoms of depression, typically via IV in clinics. Research has shown its promise, though experts have noted the clinics haven't been as regulated. (Cuevas and Nurse, 12/17)
On the use of kratom —
Tampa Bay Times: Kratom’s Path Across The US Is Marked By Deception And Secrets
By the time these products reach Florida consumers like Franka, suppliers and manufacturers have taken elaborate measures to evade regulators and avoid detection, a Tampa Bay Times investigation has found. Hundreds of businesses make up America’s kratom industry. The Times traced the steps along the trail, focusing on O.P.M.S., one of the country’s most popular names. It has roughly a dozen kratom products on the market, ranging from dried leaf powders to potent liquid shots. (Critchfield, Freund and Taylor, 12/17)
In other news on drug abuse and mental health —
San Francisco Chronicle: ‘People Are Dying On Their Watch’: Newsom Slams Counties For Conservatorship Delay
Gov. Gavin Newsom said he’ll work with lawmakers to push California counties to more quickly adopt a new state law that expands the number of people who can be forced into mental health and addiction treatment amid news that many counties are opting to delay. (Newsom, 12/15)
Philadelphia Inquirer: Jails Can't Deny Addiction Medicine To Inmates, Justice Department Says
Jails that limit access to addiction treatment medications are likely discriminating against disabled people and violating federal law, Philadelphia’s top federal law enforcement official says. A lawsuit brought by a Delaware County man who was allegedly denied his prescribed methadone in the county’s jail has the support of Jacqueline Romero, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. In court filings this week, she said jails must improve access to medication treatment options for opioid addiction. (Whelan, 12/15)
Columbus Dispatch: Drug Overdoses Dropped 5% In Ohio In 2022
The number of Ohioans who died from unintentional drug overdoses dropped 5% in 2022, according to a report released by the Ohio Department of Health. While the nation saw a slight increase of 1% in overdose deaths last year, there were 4,915 unintentional drug overdoses in Ohio in 2022, a drop from the state's 2021 record of 5,174. (Meighan, 12/15)
KFF Health News: ‘They See A Cash Cow’: Corporations Could Consume $50 Billion Of Opioid Settlements
The marketing pitches are bold and arriving fast: Invest opioid settlement dollars in a lasso-like device to help police detain people without Tasers or pepper spray. Pour money into psychedelics, electrical stimulation devices, and other experimental treatments for addiction. Fund research into new, supposedly abuse-deterrent opioids and splurge on expensive, brand-name naloxone. These pitches land daily in the inboxes of state and local officials in charge of distributing more than $50 billion from settlements in opioid lawsuits. (Pattani, 12/18)
The Washington Post: Pilots Hide Mental Health Problems So They Don’t ‘Lose Their Wings’
The commercial airline pilot kept his condition a secret for years. He was supposed to inform the Federal Aviation Administration that he was seeing a therapist for anxiety and depression, but he couldn’t bring himself to share his despair. He was afraid of the repercussions. “I lied to the FAA about the treatment I was receiving because that would have opened a can of worms. I would have been grounded until I was better,” said the 31-year-old first officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because his airline did not authorize him to talk with journalists. “It is very easy to just not tell them what’s going on.” (Sachs, 12/15)
