Associations Between Mood, Anxiety or Substance Use Disorders and Inflammatory Markers Journal of Psychiatric Research This study examined the associations of several pro–inflammatory cytokines (IL–1β, IL–6 and TNF–α) and high sensitive C–reactive protein (hsCRP) with lifetime and current mood, anxiety and substance use disorders, while adjusting for multiple covariates. The data uncovered suggest that the significant associations between increased hsCRP levels and mood disorders are mainly attributable to the effects of comorbid disorders, medication as well as behavioral and physical CVRFs.
Methadone Maintenance: “Interim Treatment” Compared to Waiting Lists Journal of Addiction Medicine (free ASAM member resource) Letter to the Editor: For more than four decades, U.S. regulations have demanded that a minimal level of psychosocial services accompany methadone treatment of opioid dependence, and required that programs deny admission to applicants when necessary to avoid excessive caseloads...
AAP Offers Guidance on Drug Testing in Children, Adolescents Pediatrics One of the biggest risks to childhood and adolescent health is the use of potentially harmful substances. Therefore, there is strong interest in drug testing to identify young people who are using such substances. There are many options for such testing...
Rescheduling of Hydrocodone Combination Products from Schedule III to Schedule II Federal Register With the issuance of this final rule, the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration reschedules hydrocodone combination products from schedule III to schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act. This action imposes the regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal sanctions applicable to schedule II controlled substances on persons who handle (manufacture, distribute, dispense, import, export, engage in research, conduct instructional activities with, conduct chemical analysis with, or possess) or propose to handle hydrocodone combination products.
House Approves Bill that Seeks to Curb Abuse of Prescription Medicine The Hill The House on July 29th passed legislation by voice vote to establish enforcement standards for prescription drug abuse. Specifically, the measure would amend the Controlled Substances Act to modify the definition of "imminent danger to the public health or safety" so that it applies to drugs that pose present or foreseeable health risks. The bill would also allow prescription drug companies registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration to submit a "corrective action plan" before a drug is suspended.
Costs of Care for Persons with Opioid Dependence in Commercial Integrated Health Systems Addiction Science and Clinical Practice Patients receiving buprenorphine plus addiction counseling had significantly lower total health care costs than patients with little or no addiction treatment (mean health care costs with buprenorphine treatment = $13,578; vs. mean health care costs with no addiction treatment = $31,055; p < .0001), while those receiving buprenorphine plus addiction counseling and those with addiction counseling only did not differ significantly in total health care costs (mean costs with counseling only: $17,017; p = .5897)...
Emergency Department Visits for Drug-Related Suicide Attempts Rise Over Six Year Period SAMHSA Two new reports highlight the rise in drug-related suicide attempt visits to hospital emergency departments especially among certain age groups. The reports by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) show that overall there was a 51 percent increase for these types of visits among people 12 and older -- from 151,477 visits in 2005 to 228,277 visits in 2011...
The Neurocircuitry of Illicit Psychostimulant Addiction: Acute and Chronic Effects in Humans Arizona State University Illicit psychostimulant addiction remains a significant problem worldwide, despite decades of research into the neural underpinnings and various treatment approaches. The purpose of this review is to provide a succinct overview of the neurocircuitry involved in drug addiction, as well as the acute and chronic effects of cocaine and amphetamines within this circuitry in humans. Investigational pharmacological treatments for illicit psychostimulant addiction are also reviewed.
Canada: Minister Ambrose Takes Steps to Address Safe Prescribing Practices for Drugs Prone to Abuse Newswire Canada Canada’s Minister of Health, Rona Ambrose, has issued a national Call for Proposals to improve the prescribing practices for prescription drugs that have a high risk of abuse or addiction. Health Canada will devote $3.6 million to support the development of evidence-based practices for appropriate prescribing of the most commonly abused classes of prescription drugs: opioids, stimulants, sedatives and tranquillizers. The Call for Proposals is aimed at projects that will improve prescribing practices and the educational needs of healthcare practitioners. It also focuses on projects that will develop new approaches, training and tools to improve these prescribing practices.
Highly Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Patients with Binge Eating Disorder and Bulimia Nervosa International Journal of Eating Disorders This study aimed to examine the prevalence and incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in a large patient cohort treated for binge eating disorder (BED), bulimia nervosa (BN), and anorexia nervosa. The findings provide strong support for the association between T2D and clinically significant binge eating. Disturbed glucose metabolism may contribute to the onset and maintenance of BED and BN.
Adventures in ‘Prior Authorization’ New York Times One study estimated that on average, prior authorization requests consumed about 20 hours a week per medical practice: one hour of the doctor’s time, nearly six hours of clerical time, plus 13 hours of nurses’ time. Other studies have suggested that prior authorizations could cost individual practices tens of thousands of dollars a year...
Bioengineered Functional Brain-Like Cortical Tissue PNAS A modular 3D brain-like cortical tissue is constructed with silk protein-based scaffold and ECM composite and primary cortical neurons. This tissue responds in vitro with biochemical and electrophysiological outcomes, mimicking observations of brain homeostasis and mechanical injury responses.
David R. Gastfriend Named CEO of the Treatment Research Institute; A. Thomas McLellan Becomes Chair of the Board MarketWatch On August 14, the Treatment Research Institute (TRI) announced that its Board of Directors has appointed David R. Gastfriend, MD as Chief Executive Officer. Concurrently, A. Thomas McLellan, PhD, founder of the Treatment Research Institute, will assume the role of Chair of the TRI Board of Directors. In nearly a decade of leadership at Alkermes, Dr. Gastfriend conducted biological, clinical, health economics and policy research on behalf of the company’s efforts in the field of addiction treatment...
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