Creative Efforts are Saving the Lives of Addicts
Out-of-the-box efforts to curtail the effects of the opioid epidemic have proven to be most helpful, but there is much work still to be done.
Health & Medicine
Former Insys CEO Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy and Fraud Charges
Michael Babich, the former Insys CEO who resigned in 2015, admitted to conspiracy and mail fraud charges after entering into a cooperation deal with prosecutors. He faces up to 25 years in prison and has agreed to become a government witness.
Polster Will Not Sanction AG for 60 Minutes Comments
Judge Dan Polster watched the ’60 Minutes’ segment that ran on CBS last month interviewing Republican Attorney General and Governor-elect Mike DeWine along with two attorneys and had read the transcript. He will not sanction DeWine or the attorneys for the statements made.
Test Strips Tell Users Whether Fentanyl is in Street Drugs
New test strips, when dipped in the residue of cooked heroin or when a little water is added to empty bags of cocaine, will tell a user if the drug is laced with fentanyl. One line indicates that the drugs are positive for fentanyl. Two lines mean the result is negative.
D.A.R.E. is Back with a New Focus Amid Opioid Crisis
Drug Abuse Resistance Education program (D.A.R.E.) is tackling the nationwide opioid crisis by including it in its curriculum for the first time. The well-known anti-drug program delivered in schools now offers a new section on opioid and prescription drug abuse.
Fly by Night New York “Plastic Surgeon” Arrested Again
Whalesca Castillo pleaded guilty in September 2011 to charges related to operating a plastic surgery clinic without a medical license and served a year in federal prison. Released on probation after completing her sentence, Castillo picked back up right where she left off without skipping a beat. Soon after, she was sent back to prison for an additional nine months. Now, Castillo has been arrested yet again.
Connecticut Panel is Against Instituting Special Courts for Opioid Addicts
A Connecticut taskforce originally approved by Democratic Governor Dannel P. Malloy during the 2018 legislative session recommended against establishing special courts for those addicted to opioids. The panel cited already established programs as sufficient for fighting against the epidemic.
Researchers Note Expanded Treatment Options for Homeless Patients
Researchers suspect Massachusett’s opioid epidemic and an increase in Medicare coverage has caused an uptick in the state’s homeless population seeking medical care.
Patients Receive Warning Letters Regarding Serious Bloodborne Infections
New Jersey health officials say thousands of patients of the HealthPlus Surgery Center in Saddle Brook may have been exposed to to HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Exposure to any one of these would be life-changing.
Maryland Has Been Hit Hard by the Opioid Epidemic
Maryland had 48,000 opioid overdose deaths in 2017, and by July 1, 2018, 483 people in Baltimore had died of overdoses. This makes it one of the hardest hit states in the U.S.