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Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, filed for bankruptcy on Sunday, Sept 15. Through filing bankruptcy, the company has agreed to pay state and local governments to help combat the opioid crisis. It is estimated that the company will provide at least $10 billion to address the crisis. In addition, Purdue Pharma plans to create a new company called NewCo. NewCo will make medicine to help reverse overdoses, as well as continuing to develop low-cost naloxone products. Purdue Pharma admitted no wrongdoing, and several attorneys general say that they will continue pursuing legal action against the company.
In the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, it was reported that 699,000 adolescents and 1.9 million young adults reported misusing opioids. SAMSHA’s national campaign, “Talk. They Hear You.” encourages parents to talk to their children as young as 9 years old about alcohol and drug use. This campaign also encourages parents to engage frequently in these conversations. SAMSHA has additional resources for talking to children about opioids available here.
A new study from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health reports the demographics of fentanyl users. The study collected survey responses from 308 people in Baltimore, Boston, and Providence, Rhode Island. Of the 308 respondents, 27 percent reported preferring opioids with fentanyl. Of that 27 percent, the average age of the respondents was 38 years old and 59 percent identified as non-Hispanic white. The 71 percent of respondents who indicated that they did not prefer opioids containing fentanyl had an average age of 45 years old and only 29 percent identified as non-Hispanic white.
Additionally, those who prefer fentanyl reported using opioids more frequently compared to those who do not prefer fentanyl. Ninety-two percent of those who prefer fentanyl reported daily use of opioids compared to the 76 percent of those who do not prefer fentanyl that reported daily use. Fentanyl has jumped to become the leading factor of opioid-related fatal overdoses (3,105 deaths in 2013 to 20,145 deaths in 2016 nationwide).
The American Institutes for Research published a new short guide based on interviews with patients living with chronic pain from a variety of arthritic conditions, including patients taking opioids and patients who had stopped taking opioids after developing an opioid use disorder (OUD). Overall, patients reported wanting their doctors to take more time to clearly explain pain management plans, including being upfront about the potential risks and benefits, and what would happen if they developed an OUD. Patients want to know their doctor is thinking of them as whole person and considering their overall life goals when planning treatment for chronic pain.
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