Posts Tagged ‘CDC’
3 Reasons the New CDC Guidelines May Contribute to the Cost of Addiction
In the September 13 issue of Vice, Maia Szalavitz challenges the myth that the U.S. can solve the opioid crisis by reducing the supply. According to her biography published in Wikipedia, “[Szalavitz] has been awarded the American Psychological Association’s Division 50 Award for Contributions to the Addictions, the Media Award from the American College of…
Read MoreThe Other Side of the Pain Story by guest Richard L. Martin
The Other Side of the Pain Story By Richard L. Martin, BSPharm (retired) I was a hospital pharmacist for twenty-five years. The last four years in practice, I was involved with the cancer ward helping oncologists, recommending pain medications, adjusting pain medications, and safely switching patients from one medication to another. Even though it’s been…
Read MoreThe CDC and the DEA Want to Be Your Ghost Doctor
What Is a Ghost Doctor? It is not uncommon for politicians, celebrities, and other ordinary people to hire a talented writer — who is called a “ghostwriter” — to compose a story or book. Ghostwriters are supposed to write in the author’s words, voice, and style, and they do not take credit for their authorship.…
Read MoreThis is the Reason Harvard Business Review Got Opioids Wrong
When a publication of Harvard Business Review’s caliber prints something, it stands as fact unless an authoritative voice corrects it. Therefore, I feel obligated to comment on Christopher Bowe’s recent HBR article, “Fixing Pharma’s Incentives Problem in the Wake of the U.S. Opioid Crisis.” I’m disappointed in (although hardly surprised by) the misleading content of…
Read MoreThis is Why People With Addiction Use Counterfeit Drugs
Prescription medications, by definition, must be prescribed by a doctor. Many people in pain are reporting that doctors are becoming increasingly wary of prescribing opioid medications. This leaves patients in the lurch. People will often do almost anything to obtain medicines for their pain or to feed their addiction, even if it means buying counterfeit…
Read MoreWill the New Opioids Restrictions Help to Reduce Overdoses?
New CDC Opioid Guidelines Politicians and some government officials tell us that the new CDC opioid guidelines will reduce deaths due to overdoses. But, based on the evidence we’ve seen so far, that is unlikely. The latest CDC report shows a continual increase in opioid-related overdose deaths despite about a 25% decrease in the…
Read MorePromising Drugs on the Horizon
Scientists at Tulane University and the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System are working on a new painkiller that would be safer and not be addictive. Research like this should give everyone hope. There are a number of promising drugs in development, such as this one, that could replace the current type of opioids. The…
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