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Patients Struggle to Find Prescription Opioids After NY Tax Drives Out Suppliers

Anastassia Gliadkovskaya

November 17, 2020 |

Kaiser Health News |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York

To "punish major drugmakers for their role in the opioid epidemic and generate funding for treatment programs," the state of New York implemented a new an excise tax on opioids. Since going into effect, though, the tax has failed to bring in the expected revenue and many opioid manufacturers and wholesalers have stopped selling their drugs to the state which has negatively impacted those who have been prescribed opioids for ailments such as pain management.

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What happened when the BC government started selling cannabis

Chloe Rose Stuart-Ulin

September 11, 2020 |

Capital Daily |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Canada, Nanaimo, British Columbia

Legalized marijuana sales in Canada were supposed to make the industry safe, stable, and prosperous. But the rollout of licenses for pre-existing private dispensaries has turned into a debacle for small businesses in British Columbia. Ignoring the advice given to Health Canada by dispensaries seeking licenses about sensible ways to regulate, the agency delayed approving licensing applications for months, only to begin raiding applicants' businesses as soon as competing government dispensaries started opening. Hundreds were put out of work and quality product grew scarce.

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Revive: A fatal overdose, a stunning coincidence, and a mother's long quest to heal.

Max Blau

March 26, 2020 |

The Atavist Magazine |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Miami, Florida

A mother's grief and a doctor's determination led to the first syringe-exchange center in Florida – a significant first step in increasing conversation around the merits of harm reduction policies. Since opening, the center has "collected 360,000 dirty syringes, provided medical treatment to 1,200 people, and helped 200 patients detox," while also reversing 1,450 overdoses, which has prompted five other counties to lift their syringe-exchange bans.

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How medication donation programs could be a game-changer in PA

Brianna Baker

February 25, 2020 |

The Philadelphia Citizen |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Cheyenne, Wyoming

Unused prescription drugs can often end up in landfills or in "the hands of those who may be vulnerable to misuse and addiction," so Wyoming has introduced a program to decrease those likelihoods from happening. This program, like that of other programs in 38 other states, collects unused medications and redistributes them to uninsured residents.

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Repurposing Drugs to Fight Cancer

Sophie Cousins

February 25, 2020 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States

Studies have shown that some medications prescribed to help treat one ailment can also be used in combination with other drug therapies to treat additional or separate illnesses. Although there are barriers to enacting drug repurposing clinical trials, medical experts say that the benefit of using existing drugs is undoubtedly more efficient and "off-label prescribing is entirely legal."

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Biometric opioid dispensing machine first of its kind to address demand for safer drug supply

Andrea Woo

January 17, 2020 |

The Globe and Mail |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Canada, Vancouver, British Columbia

In the face of an overdosing crisis, a physician in Vancouver created an ATM-like machine that allows people to pick up pharmaceutical-grade opioids to reduce the chances of people using contaminated drugs. Although this methodology is not a means of addiction treatment, it does eliminate an autonomy barrier for safe injections, requires an initial assessment by a physician, and limits the amount of pills one can request per day which means fewer overdoses.

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Rwanda avoids US-style opioids crisis by making own morphine

Cara Anna Claire Galofaro

December 25, 2019 |

Associated Press |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Rwanda, Bushekeli

The Rwandan government is on a mission to get palliative care to everyone who needs it by creating their own morphine instead of being beholden to pharmaceutical companies driven by profit. Using Uganda's simple recipe for morphine, the government partnered with nonprofits to produce and distribute morphine for free and under close watch. The drug costs pennies to make and is hand-delivered by community workers to those who need it, no matter how far. Although fear and uncertainty remain over the possibility of opioid addiction, many patients are greatly relieved to now live pain-free.

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Advocates want to recycle CT's wasted prescription drugs. The state says it's already doing that.

Jenna Carlesso

December 16, 2019 |

The Connecticut Mirror |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Bridgeport, Connecticut

Connecticut has a law that requires the state to collect unused prescription drugs to be reimbursed by the vendor companies, but advocates for better health equity want to see the unexpired drugs instead be distributed to those that need them. While one pharmacy in Bridgeport has already started a model to get the drugs into hands of the uninsured or underinsured by importing pharmaceuticals from a Tennessee non-profit, leaders of the Bridgeport operation hope to one day "see a drug reclamation program that steers unused medications from within Connecticut to charity dispensaries" within the state.

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Can technology fix the silent opioid crisis gripping US hospitals?

Annabelle Timsit Justin Rohrlich

November 19, 2019 |

Quartz |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Massachusetts

Tracking controlled substances can be difficult for hospitals, which often results in drugs being diverted from where they are supposed to go. To tackle this problem, technology companies are stepping in by creating software that utilizes a machine-learning algorithm that "can identify risky prescription and dispensation patterns among healthcare staff."

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Overcoming an Epidemic: Opioids in Pennsylvania

Emily Reddy Anne Danahy Min Xian

August 20, 2019 |

WPSU |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Pennsylvania

Across Pennsylvania, researchers, medical professionals, communities, and local governments are taking steps to address the opioid crisis. The epidemic that has swept across the country is being addressed at every level, including individual, family, and community. Responses include destigmatizing efforts like the Share Your Opioid Story project, school-based prevention education, drug court programming, medication assisted treatment, and training and awareness initiatives for medical professionals in urban and rural areas.

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