The image of shaking babies in hospital nurseries, withdrawing from opioids used by their mother, is referenced in many of the lawsuits against drug companies, aimed at punishing them for contributing to the opioid crisis. But there are growing concerns that those same newborns name-dropped in litigation will be left out of the settlements being […]
Justice Department Resorts To Unprecedented Restraining Orders Against Celina, Tennessee, Pharmacies
Listen A federal judge has temporarily shuttered a pair of problem pharmacies on the Cumberland Plateau. The legal action is “a first of its kind action” by the Justice Department in a crackdown on prescription opioids.
Tennessee Deploys ‘Recovery Navigators’ To Bridge ERs With Rehab
Listen People who overdose on opioids in Tennessee could now be met in the emergency room by someone who has been there. The so-called “recovery navigators” were part of the state’s sweeping response to the opioid epidemic, authorized by the legislature last year.
Human Rights Watch Accuses Tennessee Of Over-Regulating Pain Management
A report from Human Rights Watch accuses Tennessee of regulating opioids to the point of depriving patients in pain. Along with Washington State, the analysis focuses on Tennessee because of its new prescribing regulations, which are considered some of the strictest in the nation.
How A Recovering Addict Convinces Doctors To Rein In Opioid Prescribing
Listen Physicians who seem to be over-prescribing painkillers or working with addicted patients may now get a tap on the shoulder from a Nashville startup working on behalf of insurors. The company uses sophisticated algorithms to identify problem patients and providers. But since this is such a delicate issue with doctors, they’ve hired a pharmacist […]
How Harshly Should Doctors Be Punished For Violating Tennessee’s New Opioid Laws?
Listen A panel of doctors met for the first time last week with a single mandate: Decide how to punish physicians who prescribe too many opioids.
How Fentanyl Is Becoming Tennessee’s Killer Drug
Listen Fentanyl has quickly surged to become a leading killer drug in Tennessee, spiking 70 percent between 2016 and 2017. That’s according to new overdose statistics put out by the Health Department this week. Public health officials are redoubling their warnings.
Overdose Deaths Show No Signs Of A Turnaround In Tennessee
Listen Last year set another record for overdose deaths in Tennessee. The state’s health department released the latest figures Monday that showed 1,776 fatal overdoses in 2017.
How A Nashville Startup’s App Is Becoming Part Of Tennessee’s Opioid Response
Listen A small slice of the money Tennessee dedicated to the opioid crisis this year is going to a social network developed by a Nashville startup. It’s an app designed for people in recovery.
Tennessee’s New Opioid Law And A Crackdown On Pill Mills Create A Rush To Pain Clinics
Listen Tennessee’s pain doctors are being inundated with calls from patients needing a specialist to prescribe opioids. The combined impact of a new state law and closure of a dozen pain clinics has created a pinch for pain patients.
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