Opioids News and Research

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An opioid is a chemical that works by binding to opioid receptors, which are found principally in the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract. The receptors in these two organ systems mediate both the beneficial effects and the side effects of opioids.

Systematic review: Medical marijuana shows early promise to lessen opioid use

Medical marijuana shows early promise to lessen opioid use and potential abuse, suggests a systematic review of published studies being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2019 annual meeting.

20 Oct 2019

Temple researchers win NIH grant to study HIV-related neuroinflammation in context of opioid addiction

The National Institutes of Health has awarded a Temple research team a 5-year, $3.27 million grant to study neuroinflammation following HIV-infection in the context of opioid addiction.

16 Oct 2019

Australian researchers discover link between itchy skin and gut pain

This is big news for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) patients: 11 percent of the world's population suffers from IBS, but the fight against chronic pain has taken a major step forward with scientists identifying receptors in the nervous system which cause the condition in the hope of developing effective treatments.

16 Oct 2019

Health care stayed front and center at Democratic debate

This time, it wasn't just about "Medicare for All."

16 Oct 2019

New federal grant to expand outreach to help underserved communities battle opioid epidemic

According to government data, more than 70,000 Americans died in 2017 by overdosing on opioids. In response to the opioid crisis, the US Department of Health and Human Services outlined several key priorities, including improved treatment access, use of overdose-reversing drugs and improved pain management strategies.

15 Oct 2019

Think ‘Medicare for All’ is the only democratic health plan? Think again

If you tuned in for the first five nights of the Democratic presidential debates, you might think "Medicare for All" and providing universal care are the only health care ideas Democrats have.

15 Oct 2019

Changes to state law reduce new opioid prescriptions by 22% in Penn Medicine’s New Jersey practices

The total amount of opioids dispensed per new opioid prescription decreased by 22 percent in Penn Medicine outpatient practices in New Jersey after the state passed a law limiting prescriptions to a five-day supply for new opioid prescriptions.

14 Oct 2019

Mindfulness and medication for opioid dependence may reduce cravings

People suffering from opioid addiction and chronic pain may have fewer cravings and less pain if they use both mindfulness techniques and medication for opioid dependence, according to Rutgers and other researchers.

14 Oct 2019

Overdose prevention should also focus on alcohol use, study suggests

For several years, the national spotlight has shone on the need to prevent and rapidly treat opioid overdoses. But a new study suggests a need for more focus on the risk of alcohol overdoses among people who use opioids of all kinds, as well as cocaine, marijuana and certain prescription drugs.

14 Oct 2019

Caution urged in reducing opioids for pain

After years and decades in which healthcare providers were freely prescribing opiates for all sorts of painful conditions, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published guidelines to help bring down opioid prescription rates and with them, addiction and overdose-related death rates. Though these were not binding, they urged physicians to be cautious in dealing with opioids when prescribing for pain.

13 Oct 2019

Brain protein plays a prominent role in the maintenance of chronic pain

A protein called RGS4 (Regulator of G protein signaling 4) plays a prominent role in the maintenance of long-term pain states and may serve as a promising new target for the treatment of chronic pain conditions, according to research conducted at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published in print October 16, in The Journal of Neuroscience.

11 Oct 2019

Using mindfulness approach to tackle opioid crisis

Boston Medical Center was awarded a multi-million dollar grant from the National Institutes of Health to improve function for chronic lower back pain (cLBP) using a non-pharmacologic approach.

11 Oct 2019

Pittcon 2020 Plenary Lecture announced

Pittcon is pleased to announce Dr. Ziva Cooper as the 2020 Plenary Lecturer. Dr. Cooper’s lecture is entitled Cannabis Constituents as Novel Strategies to Tackle the Opioid Epidemic.

From Pittcon 11 Oct 2019

‘Sticky’ gene may boost the nerve calming effects of Valium

Between 1999 and 2017, the United States experienced a 10-fold increase in the number of people who died from overdoses of Valium and other benzodiazepines.

10 Oct 2019

Study highlights role of drugs in alcohol poisoning and blackout events

Only one in five non-fatal alcohol overdoses results from use of alcohol alone, according to a study of patients in a large addiction treatment facility, with most alcohol overdoses involving concomitant use of other drugs.

9 Oct 2019

New analysis examines the darknet's opioid purchases

U.S. overdose deaths attributed to synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, have increased from under 3,000 in 2013 to nearly 20,000 in 2016, making up half of all opioid-related overdose deaths.

9 Oct 2019

New study examines care for patients with knee osteoarthritis in the U.S.

A new study published in Arthritis Care & Research provides an overview of U.S. physicians' recommendations for physical therapy, lifestyle counseling, pain medications for treating knee osteoarthritis.

9 Oct 2019

McLean Hospital receives grant through NIH HEAL Initiative to address national opioid crisis

As part of its efforts to reverse the opioid crisis that continues to grip the nation, the National Institutes of Health has named McLean Hospital as a recipient of a grant through the Helping to End Addiction Long-term Initiative (NIH HEAL Initiative).

9 Oct 2019

Novel treatment strategies could help prevent abuse of opioids, other substances

Concerns over the opioid epidemic have sparked a strong scientific interest in why some people become addicted while others don't. Now, researchers are proposing novel treatment strategies that could help prevent abuse of opioids and other substances.

8 Oct 2019

New study to explore how medical cannabis affects people with chronic pain

A team of researchers at the University of Georgia will study how legalized medical cannabis affects people living with chronic pain.

8 Oct 2019

Opioids News and Research

Further Reading

Systematic review: Medical marijuana shows early promise to lessen opioid use

Temple researchers win NIH grant to study HIV-related neuroinflammation in context of opioid addiction

Australian researchers discover link between itchy skin and gut pain

Health care stayed front and center at Democratic debate

New federal grant to expand outreach to help underserved communities battle opioid epidemic

Think ‘Medicare for All’ is the only democratic health plan? Think again

Changes to state law reduce new opioid prescriptions by 22% in Penn Medicine’s New Jersey practices

Mindfulness and medication for opioid dependence may reduce cravings

Overdose prevention should also focus on alcohol use, study suggests

Caution urged in reducing opioids for pain

Brain protein plays a prominent role in the maintenance of chronic pain

Using mindfulness approach to tackle opioid crisis

Pittcon 2020 Plenary Lecture announced

‘Sticky’ gene may boost the nerve calming effects of Valium

Study highlights role of drugs in alcohol poisoning and blackout events

New analysis examines the darknet's opioid purchases

New study examines care for patients with knee osteoarthritis in the U.S.

McLean Hospital receives grant through NIH HEAL Initiative to address national opioid crisis

Novel treatment strategies could help prevent abuse of opioids, other substances

New study to explore how medical cannabis affects people with chronic pain

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