43 articles found
Federal health officials warn about medetomidine, a veterinary tranquilizer increasingly mixed with illicit fentanyl, causing complex withdrawal syndromes and complicating overdose responses
New Anesthesiology research reveals that conventional naloxone doses may not fully reverse respiratory depression from potent synthetic opioids like fentanyl and sufentanil, urging updated emergency protocols
Food and Drug Administration issues complete response letter rejecting Lykos Therapeutics' MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD, demanding additional clinical trials despite promising efficacy data.
New JAMA study shows states expanding Medicaid after 2018 saw sharp rises in buprenorphine prescriptions, but federal funding cuts could reverse gains.
Northwestern University researchers debunk 2025 drug overdose surge reported by CDC, finding the apparent spike was a modeling error caused by rapid epidemic shifts, not data manipulation or political interference.
Congressional bill H.R. 5629 threatens to roll back SAMHSA's permanent methadone take-home flexibilities as Pew Charitable Trusts submits testimony defending COVID-era reforms that reduced travel burdens without increasing diversion or deaths.
National coalition urges Congress to maintain SAMHSA, NIH, and addiction program funding in FY2027 appropriations amid proposed 12.5% HHS budget cuts.
House roundtable examines paradox of doubled treatment access, 241% spending increase while depression and suicide reach historic highs. Youth antidepressant prescriptions jump 63%.
Federal initiative targets individuals experiencing homelessness and substance use disorders through outcomes-based approach, but faith-based inclusion and punitive policy context raise concerns among public health advocates.
Deal flow in substance use disorder treatment hits six-year low as investors pull back amid quality concerns, Medicaid uncertainty, and volatile federal grants—leaving safety-net providers facing potential closures.
SB 365 would mandate ERs provide evidence-based addiction treatment, potentially saving $20,000 per patient annually while reducing overdose deaths — but faces hospital pushback over costs.
World Health Organization adds conditional recommendation for monthly and weekly buprenorphine injections, expanding evidence-based options for 61 million people using opioids non-medically worldwide.
World Health Organization adds conditional endorsement for long-acting injectable buprenorphine to global opioid dependence treatment guidelines April 2026, alongside continued strong recommendations for methadone and oral formulations.
Senator Patty Murray announces funding for Tacoma-Pierce County mobile medical services while highlighting successful pushback against Trump administration's proposed $2 billion SAMHSA grant terminations.
New report profiles eight alternative mental health crisis programs removing police from response while Trump administration restructuring threatens federal funding infrastructure.
Federal agency proposes expanding community health workers and peer support specialists in rural areas where 60% of Americans lack access to mental health and addiction treatment services.
Congressional oversight hearing exposes chaotic federal response to addiction crisis as $2 billion in treatment grants remain uncertain and agency staff cut by half
Oregon and Colorado lead regulated psilocybin therapy programs as research shows promise for depression, PTSD, and addiction. Personal stories reveal profound results.
Indiana University's MACRO-B initiative reduced opioid overdose mortality among Black Indianapolis residents by 45% in two years, now expanding statewide.
SUPPORT Act allows pharmacists to prescribe addiction medication with 8 hours training. Maryland considers state legislation as federal pathway opens treatment access.
National opioid overdose deaths fell to 46,066 in October 2025, down from 86,075 in June 2023. CDC data reveals declines across all racial groups as weaker fentanyl supply and expanded treatment efforts reshape the crisis.
Opioid deaths fell 12% in Washington last year while innovative programs expanded access to life-saving treatment. But new Medicaid work requirements and federal funding cuts are already disrupting care.
Veterinary sedative 300× more potent than xylazine spreads through illicit opioid supply, causing life-threatening withdrawal and evading standard drug tests.
Eastern Shoshone Tribal Health launches Wyoming's first harm reduction vending machines offering free naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and suicide prevention tools through anonymous PIN access to address overdose crisis on Wind River Reservation.
Bipartisan DETECT Nitazenes Act introduced in Congress would enhance detection technology for emerging class of synthetic opioids linked to over 1,000 deaths in UK.
New federal data reveals historic decline in opioid deaths across all demographics, driven by expanded naloxone access, weaker fentanyl supply, and medication treatment—though Arizona and four other states buck the trend.
Brandeis University economic analysis shows two pharmacy-based methadone models generate positive returns of $2.64 and $3.53 per dollar spent over three years while addressing treatment deserts in 80% of U.S. counties.
A new survey of 212 jails and prisons finds only 58% provide FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder, with stark regional disparities and treatment gaps putting released inmates at 40-times-higher overdose risk.
NIH-funded trial finds pregnant patients receiving weekly extended-release buprenorphine injections achieved significantly higher rates of opioid abstinence with fewer serious adverse events than those on sublingual buprenorphine.
SAMHSA's termination and rapid restoration of $2 billion in mental health grants in January exposed fragility of addiction infrastructure as overdose deaths decline for first time in decades.
Cychlorphine, an emerging synthetic opioid more potent than fentanyl, has been connected to at least 16 overdose deaths in East Tennessee since October. Federal authorities track 22 samples nationwide as harm reduction officials warn naloxone may require multiple doses.
Lawmakers push package of reforms including 988 funding, treatment bed registry, and insurance coverage mandates as state struggles to meet crisis response needs.
CDC data shows overdose deaths fell to 68,000 in 12 months ending October 2025, the lowest since 2019, driven by a dramatic decline in fentanyl purity from 25% to 11% as all four waves of the epidemic enter simultaneous decline.
Bipartisan POINTS Act would allocate $100M annually from sports betting taxes to prevention and treatment programs, marking the first dedicated federal investment in gambling disorder services.
Federal judge's ruling forces Education Department to restore funding for 120 school mental health projects, extending support through June 2026 as legal battle continues.
New national survey reveals 18 states mandate recovery assessments in treatment facilities, but federal reporting burdens and staffing shortages slow broader adoption.
Federal agency opens funding applications for children's mental health services, suicide prevention frameworks, and assisted outpatient treatment programs as part of broader recovery initiative.
New federal legislation would require OSHA guidance on workplace naloxone access amid rising employer reports of opioid impact and uneven emergency preparedness.
In a landmark policy shift, the FDA announced it will approve new drugs based on a single rigorous trial plus confirmatory evidence—a change that could accelerate development of therapies for opioid use disorder, alcohol addiction, and stimulant dependence.
DEA and HHS codify pandemic-era flexibility, allowing providers to initiate and maintain buprenorphine treatment entirely via telehealth through the end of 2026, a move experts say could save lives and reshape addiction care nationwide.
The Food and Drug Administration moves forward with controversial regulations to limit common painkillers, sparking national debate over balancing opioid crisis response with patient access to pain management.
As cocaine and methamphetamine become contaminated with fentanyl, researchers argue that contingency management and culturally adapted harm reduction are essential—yet remain vastly underutilized across the United States.
New federal rules allow providers to prescribe six-month supply of buprenorphine via audio-only telehealth for opioid use disorder treatment, eliminating pandemic-era restrictions while implementing safeguards.