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12 Results (showing 1 - 10)
Results sorted by updated date (newest first)
Results sorted by updated date (newest first)
Posted 4/21/2021 (updated 4/5/2024)
This News Brief defines psychostimulants; explains why psychostimulant use disorder is under-addressed, particularly in rural areas; reviews the reasons why people use psychostimulants and the harms they can cause; and addresses the impact of COVID-19 on psychostimulant use.
Posted 4/21/2021 (updated 4/5/2024)
This News Brief describes the need for harm reduction and treatment services in rural areas for people who use psychostimulants and how those services can be provided by the opioid treatment program
Posted 7/28/2021 (updated 4/2/2024)
The most effective treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD) are the three prescription medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone—that are proved to increase a patient’s treatment retention and reduce illicit use and the risk of overdose. The only facilities legally able to offer all three medications are opioid treatment programs (OTPs), a critical component of the U.S. substance use treatment system that are regulated by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), as well as state agencies, and are certified to administer any FDA-approved medication for the treatment of OUD.
Posted 7/21/2023 (updated 3/28/2024)
The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) released a plan in response to fentanyl being adulterated or associated with xylazine, which was declared as an emerging drug threat in April 2023. Due to the effect of combining these substances, people may be less responsive to naloxone in an overdose situation. The response plan includes evidence-based prevention, treatment, and supply reduction action steps, goals, and performance measures.
Posted 11/20/2023 (updated 3/28/2024)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared the use of Alltest Fentanyl Urine Test Cassette, which is the first over-the-counter test for the preliminary detection of fentanyl in urine. The test works by placing three drops of fresh urine onto a cassette containing a fentanyl test strip. After 5 minutes the test result will appear as colored lines. Although the test does not distinguish between certain drugs and medications.
Posted 1/17/2023 (updated 3/27/2024)
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 removed the federal requirement for providers to have an X-waiver to prescribe medications for the treatment of OUD. The act amended the Controlled Substances Act. Depending on state law, practitioners who have a current DEA registration with Schedule III authority will be able to prescribe buprenorphine for OUD starting now.
Posted 12/13/2022 (updated 3/27/2024)
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the progress made since the release of the Overdose Prevention Strategy (Strategy) last fall. The new data shows treatment capacity, lives saved from overdose, and commitments to long-term recovery supports, as well as a hopeful trend of a decrease in overdose deaths.
Posted 12/13/2022 (updated 3/27/2024)
Posted 4/4/2023 (updated 3/27/2024)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that the makers of Narcan, an opioid overdose treatment, have the agency’s approval to make the drug widely available over the counter (OTC). Narcan is the brand name of the drug naloxone, a fast-acting overdose reversal. Until now, availability varied by state – typically restricted to licensed health care providers, approved opioid overdose programs, and first responders. This is an important consideration for rural counties given that research shows that these areas are nearly three times more likely than metropolitan counties to be a low-dispensing county for naloxone.
Posted 6/14/2022 (updated 3/27/2024)
On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced nearly $15 million awarded to rural communities to continue addressing misuse of illegal and prescription drugs known as psychostimulants. These awards are part of the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP), a multi-year initiative with $400 million invested since its start in 2018.