Three of the nation’s largest drug distributors have agreed to go ahead with a nearly $20 billion settlement of the majority of opioid lawsuits filed by state and local governments, bringing to an end a years-long legal battle over their role in the opioid epidemic. The three companies—AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health, and McKesson—will pay out the money over the course of 18 years to communities affected by the abuse of prescription painkillers. The deal covers about 90 percent of the lawsuits against the companies and comes as thousands of other cases against drug manufacturers and pharmacy chains are also headed toward some form of settlement. Under the agreement, the money must be spent on social services to address the harms of opioid addiction, such as treatment programs, education, prevention, addiction programs for the homeless, or for opioid-addicted babies. The settlement payouts provide a huge opportunity to address the addiction and overdose crisis and the staggering rise of fatalities to more than 100,000 annually.
Meanwhile, New York Magazine reports from the nation’s first supervised syringe sites in New York City, part of an effort to introduce harm reduction programs as the overdose fatality rate soars, both in the city and across the country. So far, the sites have saved more than 100 lives, by providing substance users with a safe setting for intravenous drug use, including clean needles, medical personnel, and fentanyl test strips. However, the sites do not provide drug treatment; instead, they hand out information about treatment and can refer a patient if they voluntarily want to try rehab. While such sites save lives, the lack of focus on treatment means they don’t really change lives, as the user will return to a life of drug use. If cities are experiencing high rates of drug overdose deaths and are looking to New York as a model, to be most effective and better serve their patients they should include a bridge to treatment as part of the harm reduction effort.
And finally, a new poll shows that while most parents do not know much about the cannabis-derivative CBD, the non-psychoactive component of the drug, they would be open to giving it to their kids under certain conditions. An overwhelming majority said they would consider CBD for treating anxiety, sleep problems, ADHD, and even autism, although there is only one FDA-approved product that contains CBD, and that’s for children with a rare form of epilepsy. The parents, however, would also like to know more about possible side effects and have the drug regulated by the FDA and prescribed by a doctor. CBD is widely marketed as a cure-all for any number of ailments—from insomnia to PTSD and stress—despite the fact that there is little scientific evidence that it is safe and effective for any of these ailments. The FDA is considering new rules and regulations for CBD sales, in response to the wave of false marketing claims by companies that sell the product.