This story, originally published by PBS NewsHour, appeared Sept. 10, 2018. Copyright 2018 PBS NewsHour. Nearly 30 percent of U.S. patients prescribed opioids by doctors over the course of a decade had no recorded pain diagnosis, according to a new letter published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers analyzed data from 31,943 visits in… [Read More]
The opioid crisis hits home. Mine.
This story, originally published by USA Today, appeared Sept. 5, 2018. Copyright 2018 USA Today. Our son Scott fatally overdosed last November. Nothing can bring him back, but I’ve learned some things that might help others cope with this affliction. Whenever I meet someone new at a social gathering, the question typically comes up within… [Read More]
Drug overdoses killed more Tennesseans than ever last year, fentanyl deaths up 70 percent
This story, originally published by the Tennessean, appeared Aug. 20, 2018. Copyright 2018 the Tennessean. Drug overdose deaths continued to rise throughout Tennessee last year, primarily because of a dramatic spike in deaths attributed to fentanyl, an exceptionally powerful opioid for which a lethal dose is no larger than two grains of sand. In total, 1,776… [Read More]
Tennessee records most overdose deaths in 2017, Washington County sees slight decrease
This story, originally published by the Johnson City Press, appeared Aug. 20, 2018. Copyright 2018 Johnson City Press. The epidemic continues. Tennessee Department of Health data released Monday showed 1,776 Tennesseans died from drug overdoses in 2017, the highest one-year number recorded since reporting began. “More Tennesseans died last year from drug overdoses than from… [Read More]
Sullivan judge says localities off the hook in opioid crisis, sets timeline for records release
This story, originally published by the Kingsport Times-News, appeared Aug. 7, 2018. Copyright 2018 Kingsport Times-News. BRISTOL, Tenn. — It took more than four hours Tuesday for a judge to hear a stack of motions filed in a Sullivan County civil case against drug manufacturers, but local district attorneys will soon have 3.7 million pages… [Read More]
Big Pharma’s Countersuit Seeks to ‘Blame the Victim’
Barry Staubus, district attorney general for Tennessee’s Second Judicial District, wrote the following editorial regarding the countersuit. The content was published in the August 6, 2018 edition of the Kingsport Times News. Blame the victim. It’s a predictable tactic, usually employed by those accused of wrongdoing, to try and escape accountability for their actions. Last… [Read More]