Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Jocelynn L. Cook
Summary: An opioid epidemic, which emerged in the 1990s, continues to affect individuals, families, communities, and societies worldwide. The epidemic has shifted from heroin misuse to the use of easily manufactured and readily available synthetic opioids. Its complex reasons include factors related to mental health, addiction, chronic pain relief, and the current COVID-19 pandemic. Women have been disproportionately affected by the opioid epidemic, and the specific physical and biosocial effects of opioid use on women are significant considerations for healthcare providers. Despite global efforts to understand the drivers and develop effective prevention and intervention strategies, programs, and policies, recent data indicate a rise in opioid use disorder rates, overdoses, and the economic impact of the epidemic.
BEST PRACTICE & RESEARCH CLINICAL OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Mark D. Sullivan, Jane C. Ballantyne
Summary: The discipline of palliative care helped establish the right to pain relief and the necessity of using opioids. Both palliative care and pain medicine specialties recognized pain as a legitimate focus of medical treatment. Pain intensity became the metric for treatment and opioids were favored for pain management.
MAYO CLINIC PROCEEDINGS
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Molly Hutchinson, Eric Lavigne, Zachary Patterson
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected vulnerable individuals, including those who use opioids. A study found that hospitalizations for opioid use disorder decreased during the pandemic, but hospitalizations related to opioid poisonings significantly increased.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Carlos Blanco, Melanie M. Wall, Mark Olfson
Summary: The quality and timeliness of US surveillance data often limits data-driven approaches, calling for investments in new infrastructure to prioritize improvements in data timeliness, representativeness, and flexibility while protecting the privacy of survey participants. The use of simulations, distributed research and data networks, alternative data sources, and blockchain technology could lead to an improved and more user-centered surveillance system.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Oncology
Emily C. Serrell, Caprice C. Greenberg, Tudor Borza
Summary: Opioid prescribing after surgery remains a significant contributor to the national opioid epidemic, highlighting the need for direct engagement with surgeons and detailed data to address the limited response to current policies.
Article
Engineering, Manufacturing
K. C. Diwas, T. I. Tongil Kim, Jiayi Liu
Summary: In order to combat the opioid epidemic, many states have implemented policies requiring prescribers to use Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs). However, a study shows that while opioid prescriptions decreased by 6.1% after PDMP mandates, there was an unintended increase in heroin overdose deaths. Stronger PDMP mandates were found to reduce opioid prescriptions but inadvertently increase heroin overdose deaths. These findings highlight the need to consider demand-side substitution effects when implementing supply-side restrictions like PDMP mandates.
PRODUCTION AND OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Luqman B. Safdar, Ian D. Fisk, M. John Foulkes
Summary: Recent research has found that modifying plant vasculature can increase grain protein content and reduce global N2O emissions.
TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Editorial Material
Medicine, General & Internal
Michael A. Incze
Summary: Endocarditis is a disease with diverse manifestations and malignant characteristics, requiring careful consideration and clinical insight for treatment.
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Renee D. Goodwin, Scott J. Moeller, Jiaqi Zhu, Jeremy Yarden, Sarah Ganzhorn, Jill M. Williams
Summary: The use of cocaine without heroin declined overall from 2002 to 2017, but showed an increasing trend from 2011. In contrast, the co-use of heroin and cocaine, as well as heroin use without cocaine, showed a linear increase during the same period. It is important for screening, outreach, clinical treatment, and first responders to be aware of the increasing trends in polysubstance use and the potential impact of co-use of heroin and cocaine on intervention and overdose outcomes in the US.
ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS
(2021)
Review
Orthopedics
Robert R. Slater, Laurel Beverley
Summary: This article discusses the ongoing epidemic of opioid abuse in the United States and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors review the medical-legal risks physicians face when prescribing pain-relieving medications for orthopaedic patients and suggest responsible pain management plans.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEONS
(2022)
Article
Management
Katherine Bobroske, Michael Freeman, Lawrence Huan, Anita Cattrell, Stefan Scholtes
Summary: Operational interventions shortly after opioid initiation can reduce the likelihood of long-term opioid use. Provider discordance in revising treatment plan has a significant impact, regardless of the initial prescriber. The immediate reduction in prescribed opioids after follow-up appointment partially explains the long-term reduction in opioid use.
MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Emergency Medicine
Anjni Joiner, Lekshmi Kumar, Brian Barhorst, Sabina Braithwaite
Summary: EMS agencies play a critical role in addressing the opioid crisis by not only treating acute overdoses, but also implementing preventative measures, long-term treatment options, and harm-reduction strategies through collaboration with local community resources and hospitals.
PREHOSPITAL EMERGENCY CARE
(2021)
Article
Medical Laboratory Technology
Paul J. Jannetto
Summary: This article summarizes the background, current situation, and response measures of the opioid crisis in North America, emphasizing the abuse of opioids in the United States and Canada and the resulting deaths and health issues.
THERAPEUTIC DRUG MONITORING
(2021)
Article
Economics
Aljoscha Janssen, Xuan Zhang
Summary: This study examines the impact of retail pharmacy ownership on the opioid epidemic. The findings indicate that compared to chain pharmacies, independent pharmacies dispense significantly more opioids, particularly OxyContin. However, opioid dispensing decreases when an independent pharmacy transitions to a chain pharmacy. The study also highlights the influence of competitive pressure and pharmacist ownership on these estimates.
AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Hossein Omidian, Niloofar Babanejad, Yadollah Omidi
Summary: The primary tools to alleviate the opioid epidemic in the USA include strict laws on opioid prescriptions, tracking opioid medications, and boosting public awareness. While abuse-deterrent opioids have helped lower opioid abuse, there are still pending post-marketing studies and some products have been recalled or terminated. There is a strong need for nonaddictive opioids and alternative non-opioid options for acute pain management.
DRUG DISCOVERY TODAY
(2022)