Pain
Feature
Tough pain relief choices in the COVID-19 pandemic
From the Journals
PCPs play a small part in low-value care spending
Study indicates waste was widely distributed among specialties.
From the Journals
Children’s opioid harms vary by race, location
Analysis of North Carolina Medicaid data separates opioid-related poisoning or withdrawal from abuse or dependence.
From the Journals
‘Overwhelming evidence’ FDA’s opioid approval process is shoddy
The majority of approvals of opioids for the treatment of chronic pain during 1997-2018 were based on pivotal trials that lacked critical safety...
FDA/CDC
FDA orders stronger warnings on benzodiazepines
"While benzodiazepines are important therapies for many Americans, they are also commonly abused and misused," said Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn,...
Commentary
New acute pain guidelines from the ACP and AAFP have limitations
Pain can be multi-factorial and treating it requires a multi-pronged approach.
FDA/CDC
Reworked OxyContin fails to cut overall opioid abuse, FDA panel says
Some members noted that reformulated OxyContin coincided with increased transition to heroin but recognized the difficulty of proving causality....
News from the FDA/CDC
One in seven high schoolers is misusing opioids
Increased misuse among sexual minority youths warrants “tailored prevention strategies.”
Guidelines
AHA on cannabis: No evidence of heart benefits, but potential harms
The American Heart Association emphasizes potential risks and lack of benefits of cannabis for cardiovascular health.
Commentary
Exploring cannabis use by older adults
An exploration of trends in cannabis use by older adults and potential impact in terms of health is timely and important, said Kultaj Kaleka.
Feature
Move over supplements, here come medical foods
When it comes to medical foods, the FDA has often looked the other way because the ingredients may already have been proven safe and the danger to...