Pain
Feature
As opioid deaths climb, human trials begin for vaccine
The first vaccine to enter a trial targets oxycodone.
From the Journals
Opioid overdoses tied to lasting cognitive impairment
One study in the review found that about 39% of people seeking buprenorphine treatment suffered from neurocognitive impairment.
Conference Coverage
Growing proportion of cardiac arrests in U.S. considered opioid related
Due to a steep rise, opioid-associated cardiac arrests have become a major public health issue.
From the Journals
‘Deeper dive’ into opioid overdose deaths during COVID pandemic
Results also showed that, compared to 2019, significantly more men died from overdoses in 2020 in Colorado and Indiana.
News from the FDA/CDC
EDs saw more benzodiazepine overdoses, but fewer patients overall, in 2020
Fentanyl became increasingly involved in benzodiazepine overdose deaths through the first half of the year.
From the Journals
Opioid prescribing laws having an impact
The number of days an opioid was prescribed for each Medicare beneficiary decreased by 11.6 days in 2018 in states that imposed duration limits....
Feature
Sen. Schumer backs federal decriminalization of marijuana
Passage of the bill is highly uncertain because of strong Republican opposition in the Senate, where Democrats hold a narrow majority.
From the Journals
‘Long haul’ COVID recovery worse than cancer rehab for some: CDC
People experiencing 'Long-COVID-19' symptoms were more likely to report pain.
Feature
Physician convicted in buprenorphine scheme faces up to 20 years in prison
The West Virgina Board of Medicine suspended the license of Sriramloo Kesari, MD, 78, in February 2020.
Conference Coverage
Which comes first in osteoarthritis: The damage or the pain?
Osteoarthritis experts debate whether pain is the result of joint damage or a cause of it.
From the Journals
NSAIDs don’t make COVID-19 worse in hospitalized patients
In a British study, hospitalized patients didn’t fare worse if they’d taken NSAIDs regularly before admission.