Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Perspectives: 'Wisdom' Needed For Treating Opioid Epidemic; The Other 'Pressing Problem': Tobacco
JAMA: A New Year’s Wish On Opioids
As overdose deaths mount, leading to a decline in US life expectancy 2 years in a row, my New Year’s wish is for more people to appreciate this statement: Not all well-intentioned approaches to addressing the opioid epidemic are good ideas. Some are based on evidence and experience, others on misunderstanding, blame, fear, or frustration. What’s needed in 2018 is the wisdom — and the courage — to tell the difference. (Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein, 1/24)
JAMA: Lessons From The Opioid Epidemic To Reinvigorate Tobacco Control Initiatives
President Trump declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency. Although some commentators have debated its merits, the declaration has already been successful in 1 regard: it has focused national attention on the problem of opioid misuse and abuse. ... As devastating as the opioid epidemic is however, its toll is modest compared to another substance: tobacco. (Dr. Ilana Richman and Dr. Harlan M. Krumholz, 1/23)
Stat: I've Treated Many People Like Tom Petty. Drugs Are Only Part Of Their Story
Like many of my patients, Tom Petty survived traumatizing events. As a child, his father beat him with a belt until he was covered in welts. Later on, drug use and a mounting music career led to a painful divorce from his wife of 22 years. He became depressed. Substance use and mental illness pair up like magnets to metal. My homeless and incarcerated patients have faced unspeakable pain: sexual assault, the death of a child, burned-down homes, crushing unemployment. Like Petty, they attempt to ease the pain with opioids, benzodiazepines, alcohol, and other substances. The solution isn’t simple. We must first recognize that drugs don’t really cause addiction; they are simply a tool to temporarily relieve symptoms. We must identify and address the underlying pain and suffering. (Lipi Roy, 1/23)
The Philadelphia Inquirer: Philadelphia Safe Injection Sites: The Right Move To Save Lives Now
Safe injection sites where addicts can shoot up in a supervised setting could be a hard concept for many to grasp as anything but an invitation for users to inject poison into themselves with the city’s blessing. To believe that, though, would be a mistake. Philadelphia announced Tuesday it would support the idea of sites that will not only provide medical supervision to addicts but give them access to treatment and other services. Such a move won’t solve the deadly opioid crisis, but is intended to be damage control –literally. Such sites may control the fatal damage that drugs are inflicting, in a crisis that has laid waste to thousands of lives and families. (1/24)
