opioids Archives - The Westside Story

In a first, a major company and its executives face criminal charges in opioid crisis

Apr 23, 2019

For the first time, a major drug distribution company and several executives are facing criminal charges in New York for their role in the opioid drug crisis, according to NBC News. Among the top drug distribut...

A failed antidepressant may hold promise for opioid addiction

West Side Story

Apr 7, 2019

Health, Innovation, Science

A drug originally developed as an antidepressant could ease withdrawal symptoms from opiate addiction, and make it easier to avoid relapse during treatment, according to a new study. Called rapastinel, the drug...

New York state sues Sackler family over their role in the opioid crisis

West Side Story

Mar 31, 2019

Health, Policy, Science

New York state is suing members of the Sackler family, which owns Purdue Pharmaceuticals, for their role in the nation’s opioids crisis, according to The Guardian. The move follows the company’s $270 million pa...

Purdue officials pushed for high-dose, long-term opioid prescriptions, lawsuit says

West Side Story

Feb 3, 2019

Health, Science

A new lawsuit filed against Purdue Pharmaceuticals, the makers of OxyContin, accuses former company president Richard Sackler of directing the company to promote high-doses of the opioid painkiller, according t...

FDA approves potent opioid 10 times stronger than fentanyl

West Side Story

Nov 3, 2018

Health, Policy, Science

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a potent new opioid medication that is up to 10 times stronger than fentanyl, according to The New York Times. While the drug was approved with a 10 to 3 vote by...

Purdue’s move to stop marketing OxyContin to doctors is too little too late

West Side Story

Feb 12, 2018

Health, Opinion, Science

Purdue Pharmaceuticals announced Saturday that it would stop marketing its painkiller OxyContin directly to doctors, according to NBC News, following lawsuits over its role in the wave of opiate drug addiction ...

Opioids prescriber and patient should sign an opioid treatment agreement

Charles Omedo

Sep 30, 2014

Health

Following the risks of overdose and addiction, and possibly death that could arise from the use of opioids for non-chronic cancer conditions, the American Academy of Neurology has published a paper which advoca...

Tagged opioids