Trainings and Resources

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued Emergency Use Authorizations for additional doses of vaccines for moderately to severely immunocompromised people who are at increased risk for severe COVID-19. Studies indicate that some immunocompromised people who have been vaccinated have a reduced immune response compared to vaccine recipients who are not immunocompromised. Studies have further demonstrated that an additional vaccine dose in some immunocompromised populations may enhance immune response.   During this clinician outreach call that took place on August 17th, presenters from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discussed the current data and CDC’s guidance on additional COVID-19 doses in immunocompromised people.

Jails and prisons are critical intervention points in addressing the nation’s overdose crisis. Many systems, including correctional facilities, are beginning to recognize that access to evidence-based treatment and medication for substance use disorder saves lives and must form a fundamental component of any effective program. This Virtual Event Series will highlight best practices, challenges and opportunities in implementing medication-based treatment in correctional facilities over four sessions.

If you received specific disposal instructions from your healthcare provider (e.g., doctor, pharmacist) for your unused or expired medicine, you should follow those instructions to dispose of your medicine. The best disposal option is to find a drug take back location, which may be found in retail, hospital, or clinic pharmacies; and/or law enforcement facilities.

Stimulant intoxication, withdrawal, and psychosis have accepted and established treatment strategies. Several lifesaving harm reduction interventions/services are available. There are no Food and Drug Administration-approved medications for treatment of stimulant use disorder, although several are promising. Behavioral treatment, especially the use of contingency management (and other approaches with supportive evidence), has by far the best evidence of effectiveness. The presenter reviewed topics of importance to clinicians treating individuals with stimulant use disorder. Rick Rawson, PhD, University of Vermont Rural Center of Excellence

This is the 15th report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on how Americans think and feel about COVID-19 vaccination.  Following the September 9th announcement of an action plan to boost vaccination rates, news reports and social media conversations varied widely: one poll found that FDA approval increased vaccine confidence, while some local news outlets and surveys reported no change in the number of people getting vaccinated.  The CDC report was issued on September 13, almost two weeks before the Food and Drug Administration amended their emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to allow a single booster dose for certain persons at high risk for contracting the virus.

Following reports of increased calls to Poison Control related to Ivermectin [pdf], the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an advisory against its use for prevention or treatment of COVID-19.  The drug is intended to treat or prevent parasites in animals and only approved for human use in small doses for parasitic worms, or as a topical treatment for head lice and skin conditions like rosacea.  Severe illness and hospitalizations from overdose have also been reported; symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hypotension (low blood pressure), allergic reactions (itching and hives), dizziness, ataxia (problems with balance), seizures, coma and even death.  HRSA-supported Poison Control Centers can be reached online or by phone at 1-800-222-1222.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on April 30, 2021 the approval of a higher dose naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray product to treat opioid overdose. The newly approved product delivers 8 milligrams (mg) of naloxone into the nasal cavity. The FDA had previously approved 2 mg and 4 mg naloxone nasal spray products. Naloxone is a medicine that can be administered by individuals with or without medical training to help reduce opioid overdose deaths. If naloxone is administered quickly, it can counter the opioid overdose effects, usually within minutes. A higher dose of naloxone provides an additional option in the treatment of opioid overdoses.

On December 11, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued the first emergency use authorization (EUA) for a vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in individuals 16 years of age and older. The emergency use authorization allows the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to be distributed in the U.S.

This resource is a State Health official letter issued by the Center for Medicaid providing guidance on implementation throughout the Medicaid program of the provision pursuant to Section 1006(b) of the Support for Patients and Communities Act. Within the scope of the SUPPORT Act provision, state Medicaid programs are now required to provide and cover medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and behavioral therapy for opioid use disorders.