Providers Of Methadone For Addiction Treatment Warn About Expansion
Stat reports providers are warning advocates who favor expanded access to methadone to be careful — while the drug is effective for opioid addiction, expansion could backfire and even drive overdoses of methadone. Separately, Walgreens, CVS will pay a more than $10 billion opioid settlement.
Stat:
Methadone Providers Say A Big Increase In Access Could Backfire
Providers of methadone for addiction treatment have a message for advocates seeking a giant expansion in access: Be careful what you wish for. (Facher, 11/3)
More on the opioid crisis —
The Wall Street Journal:
CVS, Walgreens To Pay More Than $10 Billion To Settle Opioid Lawsuits
CVS Health Corp. and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. have agreed to pay more than $10 billion in a landmark settlement to resolve opioid-crisis lawsuits brought by states, cities and other governments. The two largest U.S. drugstore chains said they reached a framework to settle the collection of lawsuits brought by governments and Native American tribes blaming pharmacies for helping fuel the nation’s opioid epidemic. (Terlep, 11/2)
The Texas Tribune:
Texas Could Get $276 Million From Opioid Settlement With CVS Pharmacy
Texas has joined a multibillion-dollar, multistate opioid settlement with CVS Pharmacy — the latest development in numerous lawsuits regarding the roles of manufacturers, distributors and consultants in the opioid crisis. (Nguyen, 11/2)
WLWT:
Cincinnati Children's Opens Outpatient Opioid Treatment Clinic
Cincinnati Children's Hospital announced a new clinic dedicated to treating opioid addiction on Wednesday. The program provides office-based outpatient medication treatment for young people between the ages of 16 to 21. The new addition will be one of the only outpatient clinics offering medication treatment to people under 18 years old in the region. (Cockrell, 11/2)
North Carolina Health News:
Collaborative Care Improves Outcomes For Those Who Are Pregnant And Addicted
For much of his 30-plus-year career, Dr. Russell Suda, an OB/GYN and Cabarrus Health Alliance’s medical director since 2004, didn’t care to treat patients with substance use disorder. Suda said treatment required too much of one individual and one specialty. But as more pregnant women presented with substance use disorder in his community, he realized he needed to step up and care for them. (Crumpler, 11/3)
ScienceAlert:
Expert Explains How Opioids Caused A Celebrity's Gut To Burst
In his new autobiography, Matthew Perry reveals that his colon burst as a result of his addiction to opioid painkillers. The 53-year-old actor, who played Chandler Bing in Friends, was in a coma for two weeks following the incident and had to wear a colostomy bag for nine months. ... Opioids reduce gut activity, which is why they are sometimes used to treat diarrhea. And people who take them often suffer from constipation. Over time, the body develops tolerance to many of the effects of opioids, but constipation tends not to improve – in fact, it can become more severe. (Poole, 11/3)
