Opioids

President Trump Signs New Bill For Opioid Replacement Research

This week, President Donald Trump signed a new bill to increase support and research to address overprescription of opioids.

Called the SUPPORT for Patient and Communities Act, Trump aims to improve access to treatment for patients being removed from opioids. It allows government research on nonaddictive drugs for pain management while also providing measures to check foreign shipments of illegal drugs into the country.

In addition to the plan, the White House secured private and nonprofit sector partners to sign the bill, each providing their own unique plan to work toward ending opioid addiction.

Becker’s put together the following list of the specific companies and their contribution plans, in italics:

  1. Amazon will give first responders more efficient access to critical medical records and programmed Alexa to answer questions about opioids and addiction.
  2. In 2019, Belden Industries will expand its employment rehab program to additional U.S. facilities and provide a blueprint for companies to established recovery support for their employees.
  3. Blue Cross Blue Shield Association will launch Blue Distinction Centers for Substance Use Treatment and Recovery. BCBS will also establish a free national hotline to help anyone locate treatment centers.
  4. Cigna is partnering with the Veterans Health Administration to improve access to opioid addiction treatment and help veterans’ pain management efforts. Within three years, Cigna and the Department of Veterans Affairs will work toward reducing opioid overdoses by 25 percent in different communities.
  5. CVS Health will install 1,100 additional medication disposal units and, by the end of 2019, reach 250,000 students and parents with its opioid abuse prevention program.
  6. Dispose RX committed to stopping opioid abuse by giving DisposeRx packets to remove more than 10 million opioids from the U.S. population.
  7. Emergent BioSolutions will offer free Narcan nasal spray at all 16,568 libraries and 2,700 YMCA locations in the U.S.
  8. Facebook is addressing the opioid epidemic through partnerships with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Helpline in Search, the Ad Council PSA and the Drug Enforcement Administrations’s Take Back Day Oct. 27.
  9. Global Teen Challenge will build a national treatment information system to inform their 250 U.S. treatment centers about groundbreaking addiction treatment.
  10. Google created a locator tool for National Take Back Day Oct. 27 that will promote locations on the Google.comhomepage. Google will also launch a partnership with Walgreens to incorporate drug disposal locations on Google Maps.
  11. Johnson & Johnson will educate U.S. nurses and physicians to combat substance abuse. The company also launched an opioid addiction awareness campaign, reaching more than 2.5 million expecting parents at BabyCenter.
  12. Leidos will donate $3 million to opioid causes, will educate its workforce of 32,000 employees and will launch an alliance with other companies to address the opioid epidemic.
  13. MyPillow will launch the Lindell Recovery Network to bring recovery and mentorship to people struggling with opioid use disorder.
  14. National Head Start Association will expand its Head Start community through training its 245,792 staff members in about 21,000 centers nationwide on the effect of substance abuse disorder on children and families.
  15. National Safety Council spread continued awareness through its Prescribed to Death traveling memorial and will educate 1,000 more physicians on their prescribing practices.=
  16. Red Cross will offer its online course called First Aid for Opioid Overdoses. This online course will help people respond to suspected opioid overdoses and cooperate opioid education in more than 3 million yearly first-aid-trainings.
  17. Rite Aid will offer free Dispose Rx packets with new opioid prescriptions. The Rite Aid Foundation installed 312 disposal units and launched an educational program, Prescription Drug Safety Initiative, geared toward students across the U.S.
  18. Ultimate Fighting Championship will launch a public service campaign to bring awareness to the opioid epidemic by using UFC athletes, social media platforms and popular live events on the dangers of opioid abuse.
  19. Unshattered will partner with recovery centers across the U.S. Unshattered will also provide employment and job training to double the number of women they serve by the end of 2020.
  20. Walgreens will expand its permanent medication disposal program to all of its U.S. stores. Walgreens will partner with Google to provide information about its disposal sites on Google’s platform.
  21. Walmart will limit initial, acute opioid prescriptions to a seven-day supply, will use analytic software to block illicit prescriptions and require electronic prescriptions for all scheduled drugs by January 2020.

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14 Comments

  1. I agree with ” T ” ! Let us keep the politics out of our discussions ! They are a big part of our problems, but can we just agree it is both sides to blame ? We are Veterans and above arguing !

    1. How can we keep politics out of something that is initiated, controlled and run by politicians and the powers that be.? But I do agree that it is no one party. Which I only put in as my last observation of what this admin. ran on. But I know that all of them want US fighting amongst ourselves so we can’t or won’t get TOGETHER and Run All Their Sorry Asses Out.

  2. What a FREEKING JOKE. All this money and posturing for what? BS. Opioid prescriptions have dropped by more than 40% while overdose deaths continue to rise. There is NO OPIOID CRISIS. We have a Heroin, Illicit Fentanyl and Car fentanyl Crisis. All this BS and NOTHING for those of us that suffer Chronic, Intractable Pain Disorder. I have watched Cancer patients being stripped of their life sustaining pain meds. All because people like Dr. Kolodny and PROP are making up statistical LIES to make Billions off of treatment centers and Suboxone. ALL the real studies have shown that prescription pain meds. are responsible for LESS THAN 1% of overdose deaths. And of that small section, more than 60% were due to patients taking other drugs with their prescription meds. This is legalized TORTURE!! For a medical professional to turn their back on a patient that needs medication, should be grounds for a lawsuit. The first time Kolodney and PROP took their lies to the CDC, most of their recommendations were tossed in the trash. They told him that his ideas and numbers were CRAP and unproven. Hell, just a few months ago, CDC came out with the truth that THEIR numbers concerning OD’s were wrong by as much as 40%. Everyone has been lumping ALL OD’s in with Opioid OD’s. And most Coroners have admitted they have no way to tell if the opioids had any part in cause of death. Only that the person had Opioids in their system. So with that rational, I could get hit by a truck, but because I have been on Opioid therapy, they would put me in the pile as being killed by Opioids. This whole thing is the biggest BULL SHOT invented way to kill off the weakest of our society. You do know that HITLER did the same thing to his people. He assigned a group of doctors to go out and find the weakest in society and let them die. You people better wake up. The next time you or a loved one gets hurt or an illness that causes pain and they give you some Tylenol and tell you that’s it. You will see. It is happening all over this country. Simply because doctors are being intimidated by the DEA. These politicians and law dogs are Guilty of Practicing Medicine Without License. They all need to get the hell out of the exam room and let my doctor and I decide what is best for my medical condition. DAMN, I thought the republicans run on Less Govt. interference in our lives. Hell I have seen NOTHING but More govt. interference into our lives, since they took complete control.

    1. Ralph drop your politics both parties are guilty as hell. Who all were in office back in 2013? That is when it all started to run down hill in a huge crap ball locally. I among many others whose names were ‘picked out of the hat’ were getting dropped in 2014 and the threats and all the “orders from the top” in 2015 and hasn’t stopped. And before that! Then all the blame and buck passing began BACK THEN and before. It’s the POTUS, it’s Congress, the medical boards, state’s AGs along with all the LEOs and prosecutors, the CDC, and on to the United Nations Universal crap and demands.

      Think it was 2013 or 14 when one Doc told me to get out of the VA and find a good geriatric MD which is also impossible like finding anyone to treat chronic pain patients or vets who have left the VA dealing with the retaliation and more games passed along to the entire health care community people refuse to investigate ‘from the top’ down. The first place I’d post any good news or finally getting past all the BS and being ignored or attacked would be out here. Was told we vets are not going to like what is coming down the road before quitting the position not long after being ‘trained by the VA the VA way.’ Negative attitudes and out-right abuse and other issues began years before that!!! So drop the GD partisan politics when there is many to blame out there. Especially when all those medical boards, LEOs and all get together in their conventions and bow to the UN crap and swear they are going to make everything possible illegal just like they did with Kratom, weed that may work, accu needles and the rest.

      Not to forget all the items and more quality medical items like specialty shoes, lotions/compounds, etc., being replaced with pure junk cheapos that wouldn’t fit or would work well for us at all. Again we were all told to deal with it it’s all that will be available due to cuts and changes in purchasing items and contracts.

      I can go back years before that sitting with sick and dying and them having to go through the red tape for end of life meds, not getting them or not in time. Including some in nursing homes. Or home nursing taking off with the meds after the patient pass on. Where did they go? Who can trust who?

      Also odd is that some vets have seen no change at all in their meds and getting them by mail still. Our group was told that all stopped and told how criminal we all are. So what’s up with that shit? Or, how about seeing some jokers with gov disabled plates pulling work trailers and such out doing roofing jobs, tree/lawn work, and more, but when talking to them they are like 100% dis plus still getting their meds no problem???!!! I haven’t brought that crap up before either but will now. Seems to me some connected cliques, names, special people, etc., can do whatever they want while others who can’t get out of bed at times are supposed to eat crap and suffer and deal with being called criminals or not responsible enough to take pain meds even after many years of clean test and clean use no problems.

      Other than that I agree. It’s intentional punishments, collective punishment a war crime and used well at times. While all the different things being told to vets or civilians like some test or intentional ruination of specially picked people to attack and made to suffer or die. If not then why is it some of us cannot get help or support from a full circle of people contacted or informed of many issues? Like what Dennis has had to deal with or me getting told a civy hospital can abuse me and with-hold my files legally? Not one person or entity wanting to get involved. From the “top” down and down up…. useless. In my situation mainly from your left and both parties and the whole sheebang in total cahoots with each other. Including the media jokers and pressitutes to the vet groups, unions, family cliques, etc.

      OT but I can also claim to be a witness the same crap about illegals not being merely a new issue. Some claim is a more recent issue due to politics. Horse poop. They have been working and protected in my locale or traveling here to work for over thirty five years I know of in the building trades while the unions sit quiet allowing it all to occur but then raise hell when some American is working or having apprentices and not being union or clique okayed is accused of being scab labor back in the day. How many POTUSs, courts, representatives, town leaders encompasses that time period?? That too was well known, protected by all the parties, cliques, churches, media, the info censored, etc. Even used by the state and politicians across the board on their farms or other white or blue collar work. So all the damn back and forth polticking games can and should cease and truth be recognized by all who wish not to keep playing the game so many desire to play or paid to play. This country, lack of ethics, loss of the bed-side manners, loss of American quality, nor the stinking VA got in the shape it’s in today over night or in a few chains of lousy POTUS critters playing puppets.

  3. After I was diagnosed with terminal cancer of the liver I went to see my VA doctor and showed him my morphine and pills prescribed by my oncologist. I am opposed to casual use of morphine as most are. However, when treatment is purely done for comfort at the end I am sure there is nothing else except opiate that can tackle the pain of liver cancer.

    Within minutes he said simply, “The VA will never let me prescribe these medicines in these dosages.” Then he entered into my medical record that the cancer institute doctor who had written these prescriptions had placed my life at risk. Two days after informing VA of my diagnosis and against my explicit instructions that same doctor signed me up for Choice Program. Washington DC once again assigned a case number, four so far this year, and forced them to put me back onto the books. The Choice Program paperwork filed against my will specified I was authorized to find ONLY a male provider in the community. Bizarre and shot down by Washington.

    So the VA response to what is likely one of the more painful diagnosis was to send me six boxes of lidocane patches, and one box of pills to take in case I overdose on opiate. This is the plan. Just some lidocane slapped on the back, accuse a prominent oncologist of malpractice, shove me out the door to find a man who could help, and make damn sure I had no access to pain management through VA.

    God help you if you are a vet that cannot afford your own pain management because this is hardcore pain and and of life stuff and trust me when I say that untreated as it was (my VA doc diagnosed it as a backache and sleep apnea???) the pain is unbearable to the point that suicide really is a viable option.

    This is their plan. After I sent a complaint via the internet to a social platform and sent it specifically to a VA employee online, Rosegurg issued their eight PRF flag against me on the basis of, “…it has been reported that you made contact with a VA employee on a non-VA approved social media platform…. this could be interpretted as an implied threat…” and now once again to access care I will be escortd by no less than two extra technicians for a total of three folks in any given exam room.

    This is the plan. Kick the vet out the door under bizarre circumstances. Moreover the PRF letter are no longer signed by ANYONE. The new PRF system at Roseburg places no names at all on their PRF letters and now just sign it, “Sincerely, Disruptive Behavior Committee”. This is what vets are facing right now. No names to hold accountable and absolutely out of control committee.

  4. Frankly that looks like more BS and doesn’t actually address a damn thing. Did you see anything about preventing the 38% of SUICIDES that are resulting from this war against chronic pain patients? Did you see them actually say anything about the CDC backing WAY OFF from the numbers they used to cook up the number of od’s involving properly and LEGALLY prescribed opioid medications? Did you see anyone actually think through how many law abiding pain victims they were going to MURDER with those “Guidelines” BEFORE THEY STARTED… Yet more cover up that junkies lives are more important than those of us that are disabled…

  5. Once again the patients who have followed all the rules for years get tossed aside so the problem children (adults) can be given priority over their self imposed addiction. Their only goal in life is to get high, not control their pain (which most do not have), maintain a job, provide a home and food for their family, be productive citizens. The addicts destroy their lives and the lives of their families and friends just to get that next high. They care for no one other than their selfish pathetic selves. The pain patient, whose greatest concern is to get their pain under control just to survive another day and not commit suicide is treated like they are the real problem in the war on drugs. The DEA’s and CDC’s bogus attempt to prevent overdoses among pain patients (Only 1% ever gets addicted to the Pain Meds) is a sham.

    EVERYONE gets their doses cut back to one level despite others having far worse conditions. We are forced to pay for Narcan and carry it with us at all times. We are subjected to random drug urinalysis tests, random pill counts and constant pressure to cut back our doses which are the minimum already while the drug addict is free to overdose 4-5 times a week and nothing happens to them. They rob, steal and cheat to get money for their next dose and they are not held accountable for their crimes. But, the pain patient who has done everything required by his/her doctor and the law are punished just for being in legit pain. Pain patient suicides are already going through the roof and nobody cares, but the poor addict on the street is given priority care and everything they need to continue to abuse drugs. There is no common sense in the war on drugs and legitimate reason for the abusive treatment of pain patients.

  6. I believe all of these things will help somewhat. It will help doctors who are overprescribing, help to get rid of some old stuff you don’t want, help young people looking for a “high”, and many other people I don’t want to bring up ! But, what about patient’s that medically and genuinely need their pain medicine ? Walmart will limit initial acute prescriptions to a 7 day limit and make a electronic prescription for every prescription following that ! Will Medicare pay for your weekly appointment with your pain doctor ?
    I am a 70 year old disabled veteran. I take 2x 60 mg Oxycontin daily. I am constantly reminded at my monthly appointment by my pain doctor that Florida wants him to cut my prescription into half ( 2x 30 mg) !!!
    I started with 3×80 mg and 3x 5 mg daily 10 years ago. I have cut down on my own to where I am now with absolutely no help at all ! 3 months ago I tried again to cut back. I tried the first month taking 2×50 mgs daily. I hurt a lot more and my quality of life went down. The second month I went down to 2x 40 mgs. After 10 days, I could not get out of my bed with out help. I called my doctor for another appointment very quickly. He said to wait until my next month appointment ! I badgered his office until they gave me an appointment. For 30 minutes my doctor chewed on my ass. Why couldn’t I wait ? It was only 20 more days and ONLY 10 mgs !!!I left feeling like a drug addict and a real asshole ! At the end of the month at my next appointment I went back to 2x 60 mgs daily and I am still there !!! Why are all of these people thinking about chronic pain people patients that have been on the drugs for many years ? We have not broke the law in any way ! We just need HELP ! We need a pain killer that is not addictive ! I would trade for that in a second !!!

    1. I’m also a disabled veteran, 65 years-old, and I’ve been taking pain mediation for nearly 23 years for a failed discectomy and spinal-fusion surgery. Although I haven’t had a problem recently with my prescription, there was a time when I, like you, was treated like a criminal because I take long-term opiate medication. Those of us who DO NOT abuse the medication, and must take it because it’s the only treatment that works, need a spokesperson to represent us. We need to find a high-profile person who is under the care of a pain-management physician to educate the medical community and the public regarding LEGITIMATE and NECESSARY use of long-term opiate medication.

  7. What’s there to study?

    Big pharma, medical insurance and the healthcare industry want to keep people addicted because they get rich off of dispensing pills and the treatment to wean people off of the addictions.

    I mean now a days they are calling alcoholism and addiction a “disease”. A “disease” implies that one has no control over what is going on with them…but when it comes to addictions, there is usually an underlying issue (i.e. drinking to supress a traumatic experience) and the addict will not do the hard work to deal with the underlying issue and rather shoot up or pop a pill.

    So, last time I looked “cancer” is a disease, not a lot of things people are calling diseases now a days.

    People need to push government to explore alternatives (like cannabis) and doctors treating the actual cause of people’s issues (i.e. counseling, psychotherapy, physical therapy, exercise/diet) instead of throwing pills at everthing.

    1. Pain? What pain? We understand, it’s a mental disease that causes you to feel like you have pain. Take a Motrin and put some ice on it!

  8. Odd. More games and police state, fascism, totalitarianism, oppression, collective punishments, Pharma greed. All playing god while any alternatives that have been used around the world since time began is made illegal too for us all to play test rat and die for corporate greed to keeping the profit driven prison system full and legal beagles in the courts with a steady stream of clients just like the bankruptcy types are over-flowing with clients. Many due to medical costs and rip offs. While those ‘at the top’ don’t have to worry about access to anything their little hearts desire. Including getting exemptions from vaccines while ordering others to get them by the hundreds.

    Suicides by many are up to alarming rates. Nope, they can’t and won’t report anymore on that issue.

    Most of that stuff listed is and has been already in practice so what’s new? The fluff and propaganda. Oh we must protect the sheep and lab rats by creating more suffering, more suicides that are going un-reported, or to destroy us so as to protect us from ourselves? All expectations of any kind of privacy is gone but we keep getting fed crap about anonymity, privacy, confidentiality. What a wicked web they weave for vets and peasants. America the open air prison camp far from just having so-called “laws.” So much for medicine being about ending suffering, healing, to patients having rights and liberties about their own bodies or treatments that have proven to work well over many years…. all gone. And don’t dare make a fuss or question any of it. You’ll see what black-balling or retaliation by many are all about. Corporate, academic, corrupt DC, United Nation’s agendas are moving well right along as planned. Oh they have to shell out millions upon millions to scum sucking colleges and the like for more studies about it all or to claim to know it all, having all the answers for the sheep. By now the sheep should have been out by the millions with their pitch-forks and scythes but already dumbed down to be compliant and spineless, or too sick to do much but to suffer it out and pass on.

    What are the high dollar professions, the suits, power people doing about any of it? Broadcast the many distractions, yep. Nothing much but raking in the bucks and following the DC leads across the sick nation.

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