An op-ed in the New York Times looks at the impact of telemedicine and telehealth practices on drug treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic, a topic covered in the August issue of the Rosenthal Report. It notes that in response to the lockdowns and social distance regulations, those being treated for substance abuse can now receive treatment and prescriptions for addiction medications using technology—and as a result has led to expanded access to care and treatment options for many individuals struggling with addiction. The article concludes with the suggestion that we should consider making permanent the temporary changes enabling the use of telemedicine for drug treatment.
Meanwhile, drugmaker Mallinckrodt says it may file for bankruptcy protection, a move that would undermine efforts to reach a settlement in the nationwide opioid litigation, in which the firm and other opioid makers—as well as drug distributors and retail pharmacies—are accused of fueling the opioid epidemic. A bankruptcy filing wasn’t part of a settlement framework unveiled earlier this year to resolve liabilities, and would jeopardize efforts to reach a master agreement.
And finally, a new survey finds that Colorado teens are more aware than ever that vaping nicotine and marijuana is risky—yet that that hasn’t stopped them from taking up e-cigarettes. In fact, one in four say they vape regularly despite knowing the dangers. The survey also shows that vaping often begins in middle school, that there has been a 70 percent increase in students vaping marijuana since 2017, and that 50 percent of young people in the state have tried to quit the habit.