The New England Opioid Strike Force, aka NEPO, assembled to combat the proliferation of opioid pills in the region, has announced its first arrest. The criminal case involves the illegal distribution of narcotics. Prosecutors say Dr. Merideth C. Norris illegally prescribed opioids without any legitimate medical purpose. The Case Against Dr. Norris Dr. Norris, who
Across the US, hundreds of attorneys representing cities, counties, states and small towns, have filed lawsuits against opioid makers (such as Perdue Pharma) and distributors (including such everyday names as Walgreens. All of these lawsuits point blame at the various players for helping escalate the opioid addiction epidemic and seek monetary compensation. Now, attorneys have
In California, opioid addiction has run rampant, with 2,012 opioid-related overdose deaths each year. The number of overdose deaths since 2012 from heroin has increased from 362 to 587, and synthetic opioids deaths have risen from 146 to 355. While there are fewer addicted people across the state, there are heavily concentrated populations of opioid
A Kentucky lawsuit against Walgreens claims the chain played a significant role in the local opioid epidemic. Thursday’s complaint, filed by Attorney General Andy Beshear, says that the retailer used "unlawful business practices" to fuel the epidemic in Kentucky. The AG says that for more than ten years, Walgreens willingly filled large amounts of
Why is it possible – and so easy – for people to buy illicit drugs like Oxycontin on Facebook? This is one line of questioning that Mark Zuckerburg has faced during his time being questioned by the House as well as the Senate. West Virginia Republican David McKinley told Mark Zuckerberg his platform is hurting
Acting FTC Chairman Maureen K. Ohlhausen and FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, issued rare joint warning letters to 11 companies for their products that claim to ease opioid withdrawal symptoms and other unproven claims. The two agencies say these supplements are illegally marketed and sold online, and the owners of the businesses must cease selling
The Trump administration’s opioid commission has come under heavy fire by at least one member, who told CNN on Monday that the commission’s work leaves much to be desired. “Everyone is willing to tolerate the intolerable -- and not do anything about it," former Democratic Rep. Patrick Kennedy, one of six members appointed to the
While US law enforcement has often pointed the finger toward Chinese suppliers, a new federal government report confirms that China's “weakly regulated and poorly monitored” pharmaceutical industry is at fault for the Fentanyl epidemic in US states like Florida and Ohio. The U.S.- China Economic and Security Review Commission's report explains that Chinese pharmaceutical companies
Proove Biosciences and the Genetic Addiction Predictor Recently, a business promising genetic testing to predict opiate addiction came under scrutiny for selling what they call “genetic tests” to help predict a person’s capacity for addiction. Experts, however, say the test is not scientifically sound and could lead to discrimination for patients that really need the
