- The Biden administration called on Congress Monday to pass a bill aimed at tackling fentanyl trafficking in the U.S., which would see the synthetic opioid raised to the highest classification of illegal drugs. The bill would permanently place all fentanyl-related substances into a Schedule I class, which means the currently labeled Schedule II drug would be labeled as a drug with a high potential for abuse, which has no currently accepted medical value and is subject to regulatory controls and administrative, civil and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Areport published earlier this month found the U.S. overdose death rate involving fentanyl nearly quadrupled from 2016 to 20211. (Articles here and here)
- U.S. health regulators on Monday approved a new easy-to-use version of a medication to reverse overdoses caused by fentanyl and other opioids driving the nation’s drug crisis. Opvee is similar to naloxone, the life-saving drug that has been used for decades to quickly counter overdoses of heroin, fentanyl, and prescription painkillers. Both work by blocking the effects of opioids in the brain, which can restore normal breathing and blood pressure in people who have recently overdosed. (Articles here and here)
May 23, 2023
Opioid/Substance Use Disorders | Tea Leaves