In the News
University of Michigan researchers from a wide range of disciplines are working together to formulate and answer critical questions about opioids. These collaborative efforts have placed U-M at the forefront of opioid research.
DEA, SAMHSA Extend COVID-19 Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescribing Controlled Medications
On May 9, 2023, ahead of the expiration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) issued the “Temporary Extension of COVID-19 Telemedicine...
Fentanyl overdose deaths surged 279% since 2016 while heroin deaths fell: CDC
The rate of drug overdose deaths linked to fentanyl in the United States has skyrocketed over the last five years, new federal data showed. The rate of overdose deaths involving fentanyl spiked by 279% between 2016 and 2021 from 5.7 per 100,000 to 21.6 per 100,000,...
Regulatory Update: X-Waiver Eliminated
The DEA's X-Waiver (DATA-Waiver) program was eliminated by Congress in July 2022. On December 29, 2022, as part of the Omnibus Budget bill (Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023), Congress enacted a new one-time, 8-hour SUD training requirement for all practitioners...
Study: Treatment for opioid addiction lags despite policies designed to increase it
Initiation rates and six-month retention rates for buprenorphine haven’t budged despite relaxed telehealth rules and prescriber training requirements. Treating opioid addiction should be much easier now than it was a few years ago, thanks to pandemic-era rule changes...
In some US schools, 1 in 4 students report misusing prescription stimulants
U.S. middle and high schools with the most students taking prescription stimulants to treat ADHD also had, overall, the highest percentage of students who misused prescription stimulants within the past year. The University of Michigan-led study highlights a...
MSU, U-M, WSU partner with state of Michigan to coordinate opioid settlement strategy
Michigan’s three largest public research universities will work together as part of a new technical assistance collaborative to offer local governments assistance in developing abatement strategies to address the ongoing opioid epidemic, which resulted in more than...
U-M Opioid Research Institute Faculty Present Naloxone Distribution Program at National Summit
Institute co-director Dr. Chad Brummett attended and participated in the national RxSummit this week, sharing information on implementing a scalable statewide emergency department take-home Naloxone program. Dr. Brummett was joined by fellow U-M researchers Dr. Gina...
U-M launches new transdisciplinary institute to support, catalyze opioid research
The University of Michigan has launched a new transdisciplinary institute that will bolster research collaborations and strengthen community engagement to address the national opioid overdose crisis, which leads to nearly 200 deaths per day across the United States....
Lifesaving Narcan for drug overdoses approved for over the counter sale
The life-saving, opioid-reversing drug Narcan may soon be available at your corner gas station, grocery store or online in addition to pharmacies. On Wednesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Narcan — formally known as naloxone hydrochloride — for use...
Investigation of opioid co-prescription and veteran overdoses and deaths
Nearly 17 veterans die by suicide each day in the United States, a statistic that has led the Department of Veterans Affairs to make suicide prevention its highest priority and to recognize the risks from the simultaneous use of opioids and benzodiazepines. To tackle...