Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
'Leaner, More Focused': Purdue Pharma Shifts Focus To Opioid Litigation As Revenues Drop To Record Lows, Workforce Declines
The Wall Street Journal: At Purdue Pharma, Business Slumps As Opioid Lawsuits Mount
OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LP is struggling with slumping sales, a shrinking workforce and restructuring challenges as it battles lawsuits related to the opioid crisis, according to people familiar with the company. Purdue’s revenue is expected to drop below $1 billion this year for the first time in more than a decade, as employees leave and a potential bankruptcy filing looms, people familiar with the matter say. (Hopkins, 6/30)
Boston Globe: ‘Flawed’ Study Shows Possible Lasting Effects From Drug Exposure In The Womb
A new study involving thousands of Boston families found that children exposed to multiple drugs in the womb are more likely to face physical and mental difficulties as they grow up. The study, published Friday in the online journal JAMA Network Open, is the first to examine a large group of opioid-exposed children over many years and seek to identify the developmental consequences. (Freyer, 6/28)
The CT Mirror: Fentanyl Crisis Prompts Change In Treatment Strategies
Over the past few years, Connecticut has launched a slew of programs aimed at improving prevention and treatment for opioid use disorder. But now health care leaders say they need to expand programs more quickly, develop new ones and break down the barriers to treatment. (Hamm, 6/30)
Pioneer Press: Minnesota Health Care Providers To Receive Reports On Their Opioid Prescribing Practices
More than 16,000 health care providers who serve Medicaid and MinnesotaCare recipients are about to find out if they prescribe opioids at higher rates than their peers. The Minnesota Department of Human Services will send them individualized reports over the coming weeks as part of a new effort to make providers more aware of their opioid prescribing behavior. Providers will get feedback on several measures, such as how often they write opioid prescriptions, how many exceed the recommended dose and how many of their patients have become chronic opioid users. (Faircloth, 6/28)
Columbus Dispatch: Jail Using Medicine To Help Inmates Addicted To Drugs
It’s a vicious cycle for the addicted and their families, one that has safety, financial and other consequences for the rest of society. But since May, health care providers at the Hamilton County jail have been using medicine to help break the connection. Fifty-two inmates now are receiving buprenorphine, an FDA-approved medication that is to temper cravings. They represent about 3% of the jail’s daily population. (DeMio, 6/29)
