Recent News

How Can U.S. Fight the Opioid Crisis? Try Antidote Patents (Bloomberg)

The Trump administration should fight the opioid epidemic with a novel weapon, say the city of Baltimore and a consumer advocacy group: overriding patents on the widely-used overdose antidote naloxone.

Read the entire story.

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Gottlieb suggests sea change as administration looks to alter course of Rx drug prices (BioWorld)

Putting drug prices front and center at the Food and Drug Law Institute's (FDLI) annual conference Thursday, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb took on some of the current rules and restrictions that prevent true market-based pricing and competition.

As Gottlieb was speaking at FDLI, the government watchdog group Public Citizen and the Baltimore City Health Department were calling on the Trump administration to address the high price of specific drugs used to reverse life-threatening opioid overdoses. The groups urged the government to use its march-in rights to enable generic competition for Kaleo Inc.'s naloxone auto-injector Evzio and Adapt Pharma Ltd.'s naloxone nasal spray Narcan.

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Leana Wenopioidsnaloxone

A Great Way To Prevent Opioid Deaths: Overriding Patents On Anti-Overdose Drug (Futurism)

In 2016, more than 20,000 Americans died after overdosing on the synthetic opioid fentanyl.

President Trump declared the opioid epidemic a national emergency and, you know, pretty much called it a day. 

Well today, activists and health officials sent a potential solution (or at least a way to help prevent overdose-related deaths) to presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway, who was put in charge of handling the public health crisis.

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Gov't Urged to Invoke Authority to Boost OD Antidote Access (AP)

The Trump administration should invoke government authority to slash prices of a life-saving overdose drug or provide funding to expand access amid the coast-to-coast opioid epidemic, Baltimore's health department and a national advocacy group said Thursday. 

"What's short is our willpower to do something about it," said Baltimore Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen, who issued an innovative blanket prescription for naloxone in 2015.

Read the entire story.

Leana Wennaloxoneopioids

Synthetic Opioids Are Causing Cocaine, Xanax Deaths To Skyrocket (The Daily Caller)

Synthetic opioids like fentanyl are increasingly invading non-opioid drug supplies, creating a massive spike in overdose deaths from cocaine and anti-anxiety medication like Xanax.

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Cocaine Deaths Are Rising At An Alarming Rate, And It’s Because Of Fentanyl (Buzzfeed)

Cocaine deaths rose 52% between 2015 and 2016. A BuzzFeed News analysis shows the role of fentanyl in this staggering trend.

Leana Wenopioids

Baltimore diaper-changing legislation praised by dads as a 'right' for babies (Baltimore Sun)

Hailed by dads who say safe, clean changing facilities for babies should be “a right,” a Baltimore councilman Monday introduced legislation that would require more establishments to install baby-changing stations.

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Leana Wen

New city project aims to improve opioid treatment (AP)

A new city health project aims to evaluate Baltimore’s hospitals on their efforts to improve treatment for opioid use disorders.

Leaders from Baltimore’s 11 hospitals joined the city’s mayor and its health commissioner to announce the new effort on Monday. The initiative is intended to identify “best practices” for responding to the opioid epidemic.

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Baltimore brings hospitals into the fight against opioid addiction (Baltimore Sun)

In an op-ed by Mayor Catherine Pugh and Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen, they discuss Baltimore's response to the opioid epidemic, including a new initiative involving the City's 11 hospitals.

"The Baltimore City Health Department is working with our hospital systems to create “levels of care” that enshrine best practices for responding to the epidemic and publicly recognize hospitals that implement those practices."

Read the entire op-ed.

Leana Wenopioids

Naloxone’s steep price hinders battle against opioid epidemic (Washington Times)

Cost is one of the biggest hurdles in getting naloxone, the opioid overdose-reversing drug, into more hands.

Evzio, a hand-held auto injector, has risen from less than $600 in 2014 to more than $4,000 for a two-pack now, according to members of Congress who say it’s time the government do something to tamp down on the price.

Read the entire story.

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