Latest KFF Health News Stories
Suicide By Opioid: New Research Suggests Overdoses Should Be Classified As Self-Harm
Researchers combined the number of suicide deaths with those associated with drug overdoses in an effort to better grasp the overlap between these two public health epidemics.
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Opioids, EpiPens And Health Funding
In this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Alice Ollstein of Talking Points Memo, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Joanne Kenen of Politico discuss Senate action on health funding and opioid legislation, the state of the individual insurance market and consternation over expiration dates on EpiPens, the self-injected allergy remedy. Also, could an otter with asthma signal a potential public health crisis?
Rehabilitation Plus Rehab? Jails Dispense Drugs To Treat Inmates’ Addictions
Rather than go cold turkey, inmates increasingly have the option to take medication to help beat addiction to opioids and other substances. But some warn these substitute drugs serve as another crutch — and a costly one at that.
Babies Dependent On Opioids Need Touch, Not Tech
One doctor in Kansas works to make sure every hospital in the state can provide the soft start, ideally with their mothers, that babies with neonatal abstinence syndrome need.
Purdue Pharma’s Sales Pitch Downplayed Risks Of Opioid Addiction
Through a widely circulated brochure and a videotape of testimonials, the maker of OxyContin stressed patients’ right to opioid treatment for pain.
Clinicians Who Learn Of A Patient’s Opioid Death Modestly Cut Back On Prescriptions
A study published Thursday shows that doctors, dentists and other medical providers cut overall opioid dosages by nearly 10 percent after receiving notification of a death from a medical examiner and information on safe prescribing.
As Opioid Crisis Rages, Some Trade ‘Tough Love’ For Empathy
An approach known as Community Reinforcement and Family Training, or CRAFT, coaches families to deal with a loved one’s substance abuse with compassion.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
KHN’s newsletter editor, Brianna Labuskes, wades through hundreds of health articles from the week so you don’t have to.
Listen: Inexpensive Nerve Drug Often Abused As Opioid Epidemic Grows
Gabapentin, a medication approved to help patients with nerve pain or epilepsy, is being abused by people addicted to opioids to help prolong their high or stave off withdrawal from other drugs. Kaiser Health News reporter Carmen Heredia Rodriguez talks about the problem during a wide-ranging health discussion on the NPR program “On Point.”
How Rival Opioid Makers Sought To Cash In On Alarm Over OxyContin’s Dangers
Fentanyl and other painkillers marketed as safer than Purdue Pharma’s blockbuster drug left their own trail of overdose deaths.
Pacientes con dolor crónico se sienten atrapados en el debate sobre opioides
Los pacientes que necesitan esta medicación se sienten afectados injustamente por la tendencia a recetarlos cada vez menos, como una estrategia para frenar la creciente epidemia de abuso de opioides.
Patients With Chronic Pain Feel Caught In An Opioid-Prescribing Debate
States are passing laws that limit a doctor’s ability to prescribe opioids. Doctors and patients alike are wrestling with what that means in cases of chronic pain.
Facebook Live: The Marketing Plan That Fueled An Addiction Epidemic
KHN senior correspondent Fred Schulte talks about a cache of files detailing Purdue Pharma’s early OxyContin marketing plan.
What A U.S.-China Trade War Could Mean For The Opioid Epidemic
The nation’s effort to combat this public health crisis could get caught in the crossfire of the Trump administration’s trade policies.
Texas Clinics Busting Traditional Silos Of Mental And Physical Health Care
Efforts to provide care that integrates physical and mental health services are spreading, partly because untreated mental health conditions negatively affect physical health and escalate health care costs.
Readers And Tweeters Let Loose Over Kids Being Detained At The Border — And More
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Doling Out Pain Pills Post-Surgery: An Ingrown Toenail Not The Same As A Bypass
As the opioid epidemic rages, a Johns Hopkins surgeon and researcher is leading an effort to curb overprescribing by offering procedure-specific guidelines to ensure that post-surgical patients leave the hospital with enough, but not too much, pain medication.
Luego de una sobredosis de opioides, solo el 30% recibe tratamiento contra la adicción
Solo 3 de cada 10 pacientes revividos tras sufrir una sobredosis de opioides reciben el tratamiento de seguimiento que puede evitar una futura tragedia.
After Opioid Overdose, Only 30 Percent Get Medicine To Treat Addiction
Patients revived from an opioid overdose who get methadone or Suboxone treatment for addiction afterward are much more likely to be alive a year later, says a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
In New Hampshire, Even Mothers In Treatment For Opioids Struggle To Keep Children
New Hampshire parents who are trying to overcome opioid abuse face a ticking clock and limited state resources to try to keep their parental rights.
