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To effectively address substance abuse in the workplace, Gov. Eric Holcomb signed into law HEA 1007, which authorized the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration to establish best practice guidelines for organizations whose employees test positive during a drug screening. The report details the importance of following the guidelines and outlines specific protocols for implementation. The full report can be accessed here. A video toolkit from the Indiana Wellness Council and Indiana Workforce Recovery that allows employers to explore specific subject matters can be accessed here.
The White House has recently announced its goal of reducing HIV transmission in the United States by 90 percent in the next 10 years. However, a recent article published in the New England Journal of Medicine details the hurdles associated with reaching this goal. While there have been strides made to reduce HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) ― especially using lessons learned from Scott County, Indiana ― the authors highlight that out of the 220 counties identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as the most vulnerable to HIV and HCV outbreaks, only 47 of those counties had a syringe services program. Furthermore, many of the counties identified did not have a buprenorphine-prescribing physician practicing in the county. The article also highlights the influence of stigma on harm reduction practices that prevents a more effective response. Finally, the authors urge health professionals to advocate for legal changes and to use Scott County as an example of the benefits of authorizing syringe services programs and other lifesaving interventions.
Most medical schools in the United States do not fully and comprehensively address pain and addiction in the curriculum. Furthermore, most physicians have to both take an eight-hour course and apply for a waiver to prescribe buprenorphine due to an existing law that prohibits prescribing opioids without course completion. Due to these regulations, only 5 percent of physicians nationwide have the buprenorphine waiver. Massachusetts is leading the way in closing this gap by implementing curriculum in medical schools that enables medical students to learn and prescribe buprenorphine, methadone and naltrexone, the medications that treat opioid use disorder. By 2020, all medical students who studied and will practice in Massachusetts will be able to prescribe buprenorphine without taking the course or applying for the waiver.
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a new media campaign to address the importance of removing and properly destroying unused household prescription opioids. Many people who misuse prescription opioids report obtaining them from a friend or family member, so properly disposing opioids is a key regulatory step to combatting the epidemic. The media campaign, available in both English and Spanish, includes television, radio and print public service announcements; fact sheets; and social media graphics and posts. The video can be accessed here. The FDA also updated its website information regarding disposal, which can be accessed here.
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