Latest News On Opioids

Latest KFF Health News Stories

County By County, Researchers Link Opioid Deaths To Drugmakers’ Marketing

KFF Health News Original

A JAMA study looking at county-specific federal data finds that the more opioid-related marketing dollars spent in a county, the higher rates of doctors who prescribed those drugs, and ultimately, more overdose deaths.

Hep C And Drug Abuse Often Go Hand In Hand, But Screening For Infection Lags

KFF Health News Original

As the number of people who inject drugs has soared, the rate of hepatitis C infection has climbed steeply, too, because the disease can be tied to sharing needles. Yet many drug patients are not checked for the virus that can damage the liver.

Nurse Denied Life Insurance Because She Carries Naloxone

KFF Health News Original

The U.S. surgeon general has called on “bystanders” to be equipped with the opioid reversal drug to save lives. But when a nurse answered that call, her application for life insurance was denied. Why?

Overshadowed By Opioids, Meth Is Back And Hospitalizations Surge

KFF Health News Original

Hospital visits related to amphetamine use have spiked, with the biggest jumps in the West, new research shows. Experts say more attention needs be paid to the resurgence of methamphetamine.