Safety advocates seek ban on high-dose opioids

A petition asks the FDA to ban opioid pills that, when taken as directed, would add up to a daily dose of more than 90 milligrams of morphine

• Sep 1, 2017

Laughing gas reappears in U.S. ambulances

Normally used in dentist's offices and hospitals, nitrous oxide is starting to turn up elsewhere in place of more traditional painkillers

• Aug 31, 2017

Elderly doctor gets 10 years in opioid pill mill conspiracy

93-year-old Vegas doctor was accused of prescribing large amounts of drugs​ to people for no legitimate medical purpose

• Aug 2, 2017

Goal of nation's first opioid court: Keep users alive

Buffalo, New York, is experimenting with the nation's first opioid crisis intervention court to get users into treatment faster

• Jul 10, 2017

Painkiller pulled from the market at FDA request

Opana ER's maker claims the opioid is safe if used as intended, but health officials say it carries multiple risks and is widely abused

• Jul 7, 2017

​3 ways to help stop the opioid epidemic​

Taking these steps might cut opioid-related deaths by a third, new research suggests

• Jun 28, 2017

As opioid crisis grows, few get treatment meds

"Young people may be dying because they are not getting the treatment they need"

• Jun 20, 2017

Child organ donor's death under investigation

Police questioning whether painkiller dose given to dying child was meant for more than managing pain

• Jun 13, 2017

NSAID painkillers linked to higher risk of heart attack

"The bottom line is, don't treat these drugs like candy just because they're sold over the counter"

• May 11, 2017

"Gray death" is the latest opioid drug threat

The mix of several powerful opioids is "one of the scariest combinations that I have ever seen in nearly 20 years," said one expert

• May 4, 2017

How to safely trash opioids, old prescription drugs

Saturday, April 29th is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

• Apr 28, 2017

Opioid-related deaths may be underestimated

Health officials explain why painkiller deaths may be even more common than they thought

• Apr 26, 2017

School helps teens fight opioids, substance abuse

“There’s a place in every community for a school like this"

• Apr 25, 2017

Opioid lawsuit targets Wal-mart, CVS, Walgreens and more

The tribe says drug stores and distributors have contributed to “an epidemic of prescription opioid abuse” among its members

• Apr 21, 2017

Don't give kids medicine with these 2 painkillers, FDA warns

Slowed breathing and death can occur in children and breastfed babies, whose smaller bodies process narcotics more quickly

• Apr 20, 2017

What you need to know before taking opioid painkillers

Before you or your child heads into surgery, check this advice to help reduce the risk of addiction to prescription pain meds

• Mar 31, 2017

Curious toddlers tragic victims of opioid epidemic

The number of children under the age of 5 who die after swallowing opioids has steadily climbed over the last decade

• Mar 23, 2017

Opioid addiction can start within just a few days

“If your doctor is going to prescribe an opioid, be educated about what it can potentially do," expert warns

• Mar 17, 2017

Did NFL doctors and trainers push painkillers on players?

A lawsuit filed against all 32 NFL teams says doctors and trainers abuse the use of powerful painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs

• Mar 10, 2017

Utah's anesthesia abortion law unenforced

Last year, Utah enacted a law requiring that fetuses receive anesthesia or painkillers before elective abortions starting at 20 weeks gestation

• Feb 20, 2017

New guidelines outline how to handle back pain

American College of Physicians says the first line of therapy should be non-drug treatments

• Feb 13, 2017

A way to predict who'll become a drug addict

Armed with big data, Travelers Insurance developed a program that aims to spot those at risk for opioid dependency

• Jan 23, 2017

Fentanyl overdose deaths have skyrocketed

Fentanyl has moved up the rankings of the top drugs involved in overdose deaths across the U.S.

• Dec 20, 2016

Probe reveals flood of painkillers in 6 deadly years in West Virginia

Wholesalers shipped 780 million hydrocodone and oxycodone pills to the Mountain State when there was a rash of fatal overdoses

• Dec 20, 2016

Drugmakers push profitable, but unproven, opioid solution

Pharmaceutical companies are promoting harder-to-abuse painkillers but proof is scant on whether or not they help reduce overdoses

• Dec 15, 2016

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