Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Opioid-Addiction Advocate Patrick Kennedy Stands To Reap Profits From Congress' Newly Opened Wallet
Politico: Patrick Kennedy Profits From Opioid-Addiction Firms
Patrick Kennedy, the former Democratic representative and scion of the liberal political dynasty, has emerged as the unlikely go-to player for companies seeking to benefit from the Trump administration’s multibillion-dollar response to the opioid crisis, reaping well over $1 million in salaries and equity stakes in the firms. The 50-year-old son of the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who stepped down from Congress in 2011 amid his own decades-long battles with addiction and mental illness, is a high-profile mental health advocate who sat on President Donald Trump’s opioid commission. (Cancryn, 4/17)
The Associated Press: Dozens Arrested In Drug Bust In Huntington, West Virginia
Dozens of people were arrested Tuesday in a major drug trafficking sweep in Huntington, West Virginia, a city hit hard by the opioid epidemic. U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart said more than 200 federal, state and local law enforcement officers targeted nearly 100 people for arrests aimed at dismantling a multi-state distribution network. He said 30 arrests were made as of midday Tuesday in the state’s second-largest city. (Raby, 4/17)
Boston Globe: Push Is On To Refresh State Fund That Helps Municipalities Buy The Anti-Opioid Narcan
There’s a new push to replenish the state fund designed to cut the cost of the life-saving drug naloxone, months after its financial backing quietly dried up, increasing the price local first responders pay by nearly twofold. Attorney General Maura Healey’s office confirmed Tuesday that it deposited $250,000 last week into the Municipal Naloxone Bulk Purchase Trust Fund, providing the account with its first fresh infusion since it was depleted last fall. (Stout, 4/17)
Denver Post: Pledging To Punish The “Poison Pushers” In Colorado, A New Partnership Forms To Fight Heroin
A coalition of Colorado law enforcement and health care providers said Tuesday that it will punish the “poison pushers” who spread heroin and fentanyl, and it will offer a helping hand to Colorado’s many addicts. Heroin distributors and dealers need to know cops are coming for them with the full backing of the federal government, said U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer. But the newly formed Heroin Impact Project goes beyond the typical law enforcement focus on drug dealers. This time, they will be offering support to those who are struggling with addiction, he said. (Phillips, 4/17)
Health News Florida: Miami Sues Drug Makers Over Opioid Epidemic
In 2016, the city of Miami saw 641 opioid-related overdoses, a 20 percent increase from the year before. Now, attorneys for the city have filed a lawsuit in Miami-Dade County circuit court alleging that drug manufacturers violated Florida law by aggressively and deceptively marketing opioids as safe. The 134-page suit filed Monday alleges that the drug-manufacturing industry worked to cultivate a narrative “that pain was undertreated,” which paved the way for increased prescribing of opioids for chronic pain. (4/17)
The Baltimore Sun: Hospital Emergency Rooms In Maryland Struggle With Flood Of Patients With Mental Health, Substance-Use Issues
Emergency room physicians and hospital officials in Maryland say they have become overwhelmed with such patients in need of treatment for mental health or substance-use problems. Emergency room visits in Maryland fell 8 percent from 2013 to 2016, but the number of patients with behavioral health problems jumped 18.5 percent. Such cases now make up roughly a quarter of all emergency visits in Maryland. (Cohn and McDaniels, 4/18)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How Medication Can Treat Opioid Addiction
As the U.S. continues to grapple with a deadly opioid epidemic, a top health official in the Trump administration says all options should be on the table for addiction treatment — including medication. “It takes a culture change,” said Elinore McCance-Katz, a physician and assistant secretary of mental health and substance abuse for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (Luthern, 4/17)
