Opioid Epidemic
West Virginia Will Now Provide Free Community College Tuition If Students Can Pass a Drug Test
The program is the first in the country to introduce drug testing as an eligibility requirement.
Does the FDA's Plan to Regulate New Opioids More Strictly Go Far Enough?
The FDA has a key role to play in combating America's overdose epidemic, but advocacy groups debate whether it's doing enough.
Did Researchers Who Seek to Relieve Pain Contribute to the Opioid Epidemic?
It's not just drug manufacturers who are feeling the effects of major opioid lawsuits.
Federal Prosecutors Are Criminally Charging an Opioid Distributor for the First Time
The charges mean that two former Rochester Drug Company leaders could face prison time.
Opioids, Renewable Energy, and Fireballs: Stories You Might Have Missed This Week
Doctors are caught in an illicit opioid scheme, Washington State moves toward renewable energy, and a fireball lights up the Mid-Atlantic.
Should We Blame Pharmaceutical Companies for America's Opioid Epidemic? Here's What the Science Says.
Legal evidence is needed to pin addiction and death on opioid manufacturers, but the science suggests that a large and ready supply of legal prescription painkillers led to many addictions.
The ACA Reduced Opioid-Related Deaths Among Young Adults
New research suggests the provision allowing people to stay on their parents' health insurance means more young people are getting treatment.
What Oklahoma's $270 Million Settlement With Purdue Pharma Means for the 1,000-Plus Opioid Cases Still Pending
This is the biggest state opioid settlement yet, and lawyers and addiction patients' advocates are waiting eagerly to see what precedent it will set.
A New CDC Study Shows a Dramatic Increase In Fentanyl Deaths
Between 2011 and 2016, drug overdose deaths in the United States involving the synthetic opioid fentanyl dramatically increased, according to a report released Thursday.
Is Government Regulation Keeping Americans From Getting Addiction Care?
A new major report finds that laws around medication for opioid addiction aren't based in science.
Stories You Might Have Missed This Week
OxyContin's maker contemplates bankruptcy, anti-abortion bills move forward in Georgia and Tennessee, and women will take a walk in space.
Where Are Opioid Overdose Deaths Most Likely to Occur?
The popular notion of the opioid crisis primarily affecting rural communities does not hold up, according to new research.
Divulged Private Emails Show Purdue Pharma's Deception About the Strength of OxyContin
In a sealed court document, one of the company's controlling members indicated that Purdue Pharma should not correct misconceptions about the strength of oxycodone.
Prescription Opioids Are Contributing to More Fatal Auto Accidents
New research finds use of painkillers more than doubles the risk that a driver will set into motion a fatal two-car crash.
Purdue Pharma Executives Discussed Expanding Into the Addiction Treatment Market
The maker of the potent painkiller Oxycontin discussed how the sale of opioids and the treatment of opioid addiction were "naturally linked."
A New White House Tell-All Illustrates Trump's Views on How to Keep Teens From Abusing Opioids
In a new book, White House staffer Cliff Sims recounts what the president wanted for White House-sponsored ads intended to discourage young Americans from abusing opioid painkillers.
More Opioid Marketing, More Opioid Deaths
A new study suggests drug-company practices helped create the current epidemic.
The FDA Approves a Controversial New Opioid Painkiller
The Food and Drug Administration is approving a powerful new opioid painkiller, the agency announced Friday.
One Year After Trump Declared Opioid Addiction a Public-Health Emergency, What's Changed?
The declaration was met with a lot of fanfare, but officials did little with the legal powers it gave them, experts say.
Are Insurers Doing Their Part to End America's Opioid Epidemic?
A new study asks if insurance policies discourage the overprescribing of opioids and encourage proven alternative pain treatments.
The Department of Justice Is Totally Wrong About Supervised Injection Sites
There are real reasons to debate whether it's worth opening these facilities in communities, but Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein instead relies on unscientific fear-mongering.
The Trump Administration's Latest Push Against the Opioid Crisis: Limiting Drugs Manufacturers
The proposal follows several other efforts to combat the ongoing epidemic on both the state and federal levels—some more effective than others.
Oregon Considers Ending Coverage of Opioid Painkillers for Chronic Pain
Officials hope to curb overdoses that they think are caused by the overprescription of opioid painkillers to chronic pain patients.
Could a Name Change Increase Support for Safe Injection Sites?
A study shows that people feel differently about "overdose prevention sites" and "safe consumption sites."