Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Philadelphia District Attorney Calls Opioid Settlement A 'Sellout'
The Hill: Philadelphia Pushes Back Against National Opioid Settlement: 'This Is A Sellout'
Philadelphia is pushing back against the $26 billion national opioid settlement with three major drug distributors and Johnson & Johnson. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner (D) filed a lawsuit in a Pennsylvania state court on Thursday asking a court to declare that Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D) lacks the authority to bind the city to the settlement. Krasner called the settlement a “sellout” in a news conference. (Williams, 7/22)
Health News Florida: Opioid Settlement Will Bring Up To $1.6 Billion To Florida
Florida is slated to receive as much as $1.6 billion in multistate legal settlements with three pharmaceutical distributors and one drug manufacturer stemming from the opioid epidemic, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody announced Wednesday. Florida was one of 14 states that negotiated the agreements with distributors AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson and manufacturer Johnson & Johnson. In all, the companies could pay up to $26 billion over a series of years. (7/22)
Axios: How Johnson & Johnson Could Use The "Texas Two-Step" To Cap Its Baby Powder Liabilities
Johnson & Johnson just managed to release itself from all legal liability for distributing opioids by paying $5 billion as part of a bigger $26 billion settlement with state attorneys general. Now, per Reuters, it's looking to Texas to help it cap its liabilities with respect to distributing asbestos in its baby powder. If J&J successfully attempts what's known as the Texas two-step, that would effectively allow it to declare bankruptcy just for the purposes of its talc liabilities and nothing else. The rest of the company could sail on with no further risk of talc-related lawsuits down the road. (Salmon, 7/22)
In other news about opioids and drug use —
Modern Healthcare: AMA Seeks Overhaul Of CDC Opioid Prescribing Guidelines
The American Medical Association is calling for the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention to overhaul its 2016 opioid prescribing guidelines. The organization says the guidelines limit patients access to pain management treatments. In a letter sent to the CDC on Thursday, the AMA argued the agency's landmark, prescribing guidelines issued in response to the opioid crisis were failing to address how the epidemic has evolved. Drug overdose deaths rose by 30% from 2019 to 2020 to a record 93,000 despite prescribing restrictions becoming a widely adopted practice among most healthcare providers since the release of the guidelines. (Ross Johnson, 7/22)
Carroll County Times: Nonprofit HOFFA Foundation Opening New Recovery Residence In Carroll County For Men Struggling With Addiction
The HOFFA Foundation is hosting a community support event this weekend to celebrate the opening of their new multidisciplinary recovery house for men and to educate the community about their mission. The HOFFA Foundation is a family-based organization dedicated to providing resources that will enable residents of Carroll County and beyond who are struggling with addiction to make forward progress in their recovery from substance abuse. Their primary program for recovery support is a “safe recovery residence where individuals can live while seeking long-term freedom from active addiction to drugs and alcohol,” according to the foundation’s website. (Bateman, 7/23)
