Puerto Rico Moves Forward on Patient Notification

Working closely with Elaine Pozycki, Founder of Prevent Opioid Abuse, Senator Abel Nazario Quiñones  has now added a  patient notification component to an existing bill  that addresses Narcan.  The Senator is optimistic it will gain adoption.  Prevent Opioid Abuse will continue to work closely with Senator Abel Narario Quinones, helping in any way we can.


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‘Protect Our Children: The Opioid Crisis’ – Watch it on ABC7NY


Saturday, March 30th, 2019 8:19PMNEW YORK — WABC-TV aired the special “PROTECT OUR CHILDREN: THE OPIOID CRISIS” on Saturday, March 30 at 7 p.m. (also to be re-run Sun. 3/31at 5:30 a.m.). 

The program is hosted by Eyewitness News Anchor Diana Williams and addresses the worst drug crisis in American history – the opioid crisis – which is truly a public health emergency. 

The program begins by pointing out the fact that the national death toll from drug overdoses has now reached record highs. 

The statistics are grim and show that prescription opioids have helped lead the way towards this epidemic and unfortunately children are the most vulnerable to the ill effects of drug usage. We feature families that have lost children and are fighting this epidemic by trying to raise awareness and change legislation. Parents are now having to confront this by becoming experts on subjects they’d rather not have engaged with. 

WATCH THE SPECIAL HERE ON ABC7NY:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

https://abc7ny.com/society/protect-our-children-the-opioid-crisis—watch-it-here-on-abc7ny/5208065/


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Texas Patient Notification Legislation Heard in Public Health Committee

National and state experts and activists recently testified in favor of Texas House Bill HB 1710, sponsored by Representative Ana-Maria Ramos, requiring a conversation between prescriber and patient as well as parents, when the patient is under 18, to discuss the risks of addiction upon prescription of an opioid-based painkiller. Prevent Opioid Abuse Founder Elaine Pozycki was joined by Dr. Victor Vines, MD, Diplomate of the American Board of Addiction Medicine and Dr. Crispa Aeschbach-Jachmann, MD, an Austin based psychiatrist in testifying in favor of this common sense legislation that is driving down the number of opioid pain killer prescriptions issued in the states where it has been implemented, sparking productive conversations about the use of non-opioid pain relief alternatives.
They were well-received by the House Public Health Committee members. There is a lot of support building for the legislation and for a similar bill that also requires that prescribers provide the real time information that patients and parents need to make an informed decision about prescription opioids: HB 2811, sponsored by Representative Four Price.

In less than 2 years, versions of this legislation have already passed in ten states: Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Nevada, Oklahoma, Ohio, Rhode Island and West Virginia. In addition to Texas,t this life-saving legislation is currently being considered by state legislatures in Kansas, Maine, Missouri, Montana, Pennsylvania, Utah and Washington.


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OxyContin maker Purdue agrees to settle Oklahoma opioid case

From the Daily Mail:

OxyContin maker Purdue settles with Oklahoma for $270MILLION in opioid case: Sackler family-owned company reaches deal with state in the first of 2,000 lawsuits accusing pharma firms of fueling the drug abuse epidemic

  • Purdue reached a $270M settlement with Oklahoma in opioid case on Tuesday
  • State had sought $20B from the drugmaker for its role in the opioid crisis
  • Purdue said to be exploring Chapter 11 as if faces thousands of suits
  • Oklahoma attorney general will hold a press conference Tuesday afternoon

Read complete article below

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6850327/OxyContin-maker-Purdue-agrees-settle-Oklahoma-opioid-case-source.html


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Watch 60 Minutes: Did the FDA Ignite the opioid epidemic?


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School bus aide crashed bus with kids, revived with Narcan in New Jersey

From ABC 7

NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) — The driver of a school bus who was treated with the overdose drug Narcan after crashing in New Jersey Wednesday was actually a bus aide who took matters into her own hands when the assigned driver was running late, officials said.

Read the complete article here.


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FDA, drug companies, doctors mishandled use of powerful fentanyl painkiller

From the Washington Post

The Food and Drug Administration, drug companies and doctors mishandled distribution of a powerful fentanyl painkiller, allowing widespread prescribing to ineligible patients despite special measures designed to safeguard its use, according to a report released Tuesday.

Read the whole article here.


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“Providing Real Time Information Key to Curbing Opioid Epidemic

Elaine Pozycki’s opinion piece in the St. Louis Patch:


Patients and parents have the right to know that the medicines they’re prescribed can lead to dependency and addiction, yet this is still not the case. A national survey done by the Hazeldon Betty Ford Foundation confirms what I have learned from talking with other parents, who, like me, have lost a child to this epidemic: that 6 in 10 doctors prescribe opioid painkillers without telling patients that they can be addictive.

Read the full article here.


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Americans make up 5% of the world population. But we consume 80% of its opioid supply.

While the U.S. accounts for about 5 percent of the global population, its residents consume about 80 percent of the global supply of prescription opioids. The question becomes: Why are Americans in so much pain? Read the full story


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Study Links Drug Maker Gifts for Doctors to More Overdose Deaths

Counties where doctors got more meals, trips and consulting fees from opioid makers had higher overdose deaths involving prescription opioids.


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