Sunday, November 2, 2014
DEA Proposes to Remove Opiate-Based Medication Naloxegol from Drug Schedule
October 29th, 2014/
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is proposing to remove the opiate-based medication naloxegol from the federal drug schedule, according to The Hill. The drug is currently considered a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act because it can be derived from opium alkaloids.
Other Schedule II drugs include heroin, methamphetamine, Adderall and Ritalin.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved naloxegol (Movantik) this fall for treatment of opioid-induced constipation in adults with chronic non-cancer pain. AstraZeneca, which makes naloxegol, submitted a petition seeking the drug’s removal from the drug schedule. The company stated the drug is not prone to abuse. In its proposal, the DEA agreed.
Anyone caught illegally dealing or possessing drugs on the drug schedule faces criminal penalties. Doctors are restricted in the way they can administer the drugs.
Earlier this year, the DEA announced it will reclassify hydrocodone combination productssuch as Vicodin, in an effort to reduce prescription drug abuse. Under the new rules, patients will be able to receive the drugs for only up to 90 days without receiving a new prescription. In October 2013, the FDA recommended tighter restrictions for hydrocodone combination products.
Under the new rule, hydrocodone combination products will be classified as Schedule II drugs. Currently these products are Schedule III drugs, meaning they can be refilled up to five times, and prescriptions can cover a 180-day period. In most cases, patients who wish to refill their hydrocodone combination prescription will now have to give their pharmacy a prescription from a healthcare provider, instead of having it phoned or faxed in.
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No Flood of Patients Seeking Care for Substance Use Disorders Under Affordable Care Act
October 30th, 2014/
While many newly insured patients are seeking care now that the Affordable Care Act has expanded coverage, there has not been a rush of new patients receiving treatment for substance use disorders or mental health issues, according to U.S. News & World Report.
Several factors are keeping people from receiving care for substance use disorders and mental health care, known collectively as behavioral health, the article notes. Experts believe the majority of the 5 million people who are without health care, because they live in states that have not expanded Medicaid, need mental health treatment. Some patients who do have insurance are not aware their benefits include coverage for behavioral health.
While mental health and substance use disorders are considered essential health benefits and must be covered, the Affordable Care Act does not specify which particular services must be covered. States vary in their requirements.
“There’s a perception that enforcement is not what it should be, and that people aren’t getting the benefits they are entitled to,” said Bob Carolla, a spokesman at the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
If more patients do start seeking care for behavioral health, experts are concerned there will not be adequate resources to serve them. A report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found a shortage of 1,846 psychiatrists and 5,931 other mental health professionals. In 55 percent of U.S. counties, there are no practicing psychiatrists, psychologists or social workers. All of these counties are rural.
“There has been a long-standing shortage,” Carolla says. “Expansion of health care is a good thing, but it also means you are widening demand for it.”
Denver Police to Parents: Make Sure Halloween Candy Doesn’t Contain Marijuana
October 30th, 2014/
The Denver Police Department has posted a public service video, made in conjunction with a marijuana store owner, that advises parents to check their children’s Halloween candy to make sure it isn’t infused with marijuana.
Marijuana edible products can mimic candy such as Sour Patch Kids, Jolly Ranchers and gummy bears, the video cautions parents. Patrick Johnson, the owner of Urban Dispensary, says, “There’s really no way to tell the difference. It’s best just to toss that stuff into the trash.”
There have been no reported cases of marijuana-infused treats being given to children on Halloween in Denver, The New York Times reports. Marijuana advocates say the warnings perpetuate urban legends, such as candy bars spiked with razor blades. But the warning underscores the concern of parents’ groups and regulators that marijuana edible products look too much like regular food, the article notes.
Edible marijuana products have become a popular alternative to smoking marijuana in Colorado this year, since retail sales of the products became legal on January 1. Adults 21 and over can legally purchase marijuana edibles at state-licensed stores. Marijuana is now available in products ranging from candy to soda and granola.
Recently, marijuana retailers in Colorado have begun responding to reports of tourists who have had bad experiences after consuming large amounts of THC by offering products with lower amounts. THC is the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. A “serving” of marijuana is 10 milligrams of THC under Colorado rules. It can be difficult to tell exactly how much THC is in an individual cookie or brownie. Many marijuana edibles contain 100 milligrams of THC, and are meant to be broken into multiple pieces to avoid overdosing.
Earlier this year, health officials reported legal marijuana edible products were linked to two deaths and an increase in emergency room visits in Colorado.
NFL Expected to Ask for Dismissal of Players’ Lawsuit Over Painkillers
October 30th, 2014/
The National Football League (NFL) is expected to request that a lawsuit filed by former players who allege the league illegally supplied them with prescription painkillers be dismissed, ABC News reports.
The case is scheduled to be heard in San Francisco’s federal court on Thursday morning.
The players say the drugs numbed their injuries and led to medical complications. Lawyers for the league deny the allegations. They argue the former players waited too long to file suit, citing a two-year statute of limitations for claiming personal injury. Former players who joined the lawsuit said they did not realize the health hazards they faced until recently.
The lawyers also argued the lawsuit does not specify the damages the players have suffered and does not name who dispensed the painkillers.
The players say the NFL obtained and administered the painkillers without prescriptions. The league did not warn the players about the drugs’ potential side effects, the lawsuit alleges. The players say the league wanted them to return to the field quickly, in order to maximize profits.
Some players say they were not told they had broken legs or ankles, and were instead given painkillers. One player said he was given anti-inflammatory medication instead of surgery. The years of free painkillers led to addiction, some players contend.
The lawsuit states the drugs given to players included painkillers such as Percodan, Percocet and Vicodin, anti-inflammatories such as Toradol, and sleep aids such as Ambien.
Lawyers for the players are seeking class-action status for former players who received narcotic painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs, local anesthetics, sleeping aids or other drugs without a prescription. More than 500 other former players have signed on to the lawsuit. The suit seeks to force the NFL to fund a testing and monitoring program to help prevent addiction, injuries and disabilities resulting from painkiller use. The suit also seeks unspecified financial damages.
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