Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Rising Overdose Deaths From Fentanyl, Cocaine Trigger Concerns
The Boston Globe: Health Commissioner: Fentanyl, Cocaine Fuel ‘Concerning Trends’ In Epidemic
State public health officials observed “concerning trends” in the opioid epidemic last year, particularly driven by the rising prevalence of fentanyl and cocaine in overdose deaths. While the Department of Public Health does not expect to publish the latest estimate of fatal opioid overdoses until its next regular report in May, Commissioner Margret Cooke told lawmakers Monday that worrying signs remain amid significant efforts to blunt the damage. “We’ve seen concerning trends in 2021. We’ve seen an increase in fentanyl, an increase in cocaine in opioid overdose deaths, an 8 percent increase there,” Cooke said at a Ways and Means Committee hearing, later adding, “This crisis is not going away.” (Lisinski, 3/8)
KATU: Parents Warn Of Fentanyl Danger After Two Portland Students Die From Accidental Overdoses
Portland police say two Portland Public Schools students died within 24 hours of each other from overdoses. Police suspect both tragedies were accidental fentanyl overdoses. "We stand here ready to help those parents and the community members in any way that we can," Jon Epstein, whose son, Cal, died of an accidental fentanyl overdose in 2020, said. "It's something unimaginable to have happen." (Reaume, 3/8)
KTVU: Three Found Dead Inside San Francisco Apartment Likely Overdosed On Fentanyl-Laced Drugs
It was a deadly weekend in San Francisco after three people died from apparent fentanyl overdoses. Authorities were summoned to an apartment Saturday morning in the 3400 block of 19th and Mission streets where they found two men and a woman dead inside. Police and fire crews briefed Supervisor Hillary Ronen who and said it appears four friends may have purchased cocaine, not knowing it was laced with fentanyl, a powerful opiate. Only one of those friends survived. (Kafton, 3/7)
Philadelphia Inquirer: The Animal Tranquilizer Xylazine Is Present In A Quarter Of Philadelphia's Fatal Overdoses
An animal tranquilizer with a strong sedative effect is increasingly turning up in Philadelphia’s fentanyl supply and in the toxicology reports of overdose victims, a new study has found. The study’s authors say more research is needed on the prevalence of the tranquilizer xylazine in Philadelphia and around the country, and what it is doing to people who inject drugs. Anecdotally, drug users and health-care workers have reported serious skin lesions appearing on people who have injected xylazine. Plus, it appears it may be harder to reverse overdoses when an opioid like fentanyl contains xylazine, the study authors wrote. (Whelan, 3/9)
Also —
Bloomberg: Opioid Settlement: Insurers Refuse To Pick Up Bill For Billions In Claims
A multibillion-dollar bill is coming due for the U.S. opioid epidemic and insurers for some of the largest drug makers, distributors and pharmacies are refusing to help pay for it. A Delaware Supreme Court ruling in January has emboldened insurers eager to avoid massive policy claims from companies proposing to settle liability lawsuits over opioids. Half a dozen complaints have been filed in Delaware in the past two months, seeking court approval to block coverage of everything from cash damages to attorneys fees for companies including CVS Health Corp. and AmerisourceBergen Corp. (Feeley, 3/8)
AP: ‘They Make Sure You Don’t Die’: Inside NYC’s Drug Use Sites
Jose Collado settled in at a clean white table in a sunlit room, sang a few bars and injected himself with heroin. After years of shooting up on streets and rooftops, he was in one of the first two facilities in the country where local officials are allowing illegal drug use in order to make it less deadly. (Peltz, 3/9)
