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Overdose Prevention

All articles tagged with #overdose prevention

Half-Century Bet on a Fentanyl Vaccine Enters Human Trials
health5 days ago

Half-Century Bet on a Fentanyl Vaccine Enters Human Trials

Decades after the idea was first pitched, researchers are testing a fentanyl‑targeting vaccine (Fentanyl Armour) in humans while other teams pursue multivalent vaccines and monoclonal antibodies. Early data show the vaccine is safe and elicits anti‑fentanyl antibodies, but whether enough people develop protective antibody levels and how long protection lasts remain unknown amid funding and political hurdles. The work aims to block fentanyl in the bloodstream before it reaches the brain, offering an overdose‑prevention strategy rather than a cure for addiction.

via Medscape|
#fentanyl#health#monoclonal-antibodies
Northwest researchers move toward fentanyl vaccine to prevent overdoses and aid recovery
science13 days ago

Northwest researchers move toward fentanyl vaccine to prevent overdoses and aid recovery

UW researchers have developed a fentanyl vaccine that triggers antibodies to block fentanyl from entering the brain, potentially reducing overdoses and aiding recovery. They plan to file an FDA IND to begin human trials, while vaccines for oxycodone and heroin are already advancing, and they aim to develop multi-drug vaccines to counter emerging substances, viewing the vaccine as one tool in a broader addiction-treatment strategy.

via Oregon Public Broadcasting - OPB|
#clinical-trials#fentanyl-vaccine#immunotherapy
Broad fentanyl-class vaccine shields against illicit analogs
addiction2 months ago

Broad fentanyl-class vaccine shields against illicit analogs

Researchers report a novel vaccine concept that trains the immune system to recognize a broad fentanyl drug class rather than a single molecule by using a redesigned hapten attached to a carrier protein. In mice, the modified vaccine produced antibodies that bound fentanyl and several dangerous analogs (carfentanil, acetylfentanyl, furanylfentanyl) while ignoring morphine and other opioids, shifted fentanyl away from the brain into the blood, and prevented respiratory depression following exposure, indicating strong protection against overdose. The approach is intended as a safety net rather than a cure for addiction and translation to humans remains to be tested; researchers also plan broader testing and clinical trials, and they released the work patent-free.

via PsyPost|
#addiction#fentanyl#hapten
CDC to release delayed funds for fentanyl fight and more, staffers say
health1 year ago

CDC to release delayed funds for fentanyl fight and more, staffers say

The CDC is expected to fully fund the OD2A overdose prevention program after delays caused by budget issues, which had threatened to impact efforts against fentanyl and other drug overdoses. However, several other CDC programs remain under frozen budgets due to broader federal funding restrictions, raising concerns about the overall strategy and impact on public health initiatives.

via NPR|
#cdc-funding#federal-budget#fentanyl
Nationwide Drop in Overdose Deaths Spurs Investigation and Education Efforts
health1 year ago

Nationwide Drop in Overdose Deaths Spurs Investigation and Education Efforts

Jacy Werner, whose brother died from a fentanyl overdose, is using her personal tragedy to educate Gulf Coast teens on opioid overdose prevention. As the executive director of the Benjamin Thomas Werner Foundation, she speaks to high school students about the dangers of drugs like fentanyl and demonstrates how to use Naloxone, an opioid overdose-reversal drug. Her efforts are part of a broader trend contributing to a decline in overdose deaths in the U.S., as reported by the CDC. Werner's initiative aims to prevent other families from experiencing similar losses.

via WEAR|
#community-outreach#drug-education#health
"Debate on Safer Fentanyl Use: Injecting vs. Smoking"
public-health2 years ago

"Debate on Safer Fentanyl Use: Injecting vs. Smoking"

Some cities have been providing free smoking supplies to fentanyl users as a harm reduction strategy to reduce the risks associated with injecting drugs, such as infections and overdoses. However, this approach is facing pushback, with new laws in states like West Virginia banning the distribution of smoking paraphernalia by state-authorized syringe exchange programs. Critics argue that such measures enable drug use, while proponents believe they help mitigate harm. The debate highlights ongoing tensions in public health strategies aimed at addressing the opioid crisis and overdose deaths.

via The Washington Post|
#drug-policy#fentanyl#harm-reduction
"Drug Dealers Use Fentanyl Test Strips to Market 'Clean' Pills"
public-health2 years ago

"Drug Dealers Use Fentanyl Test Strips to Market 'Clean' Pills"

Fentanyl test strips, intended to help users detect the presence of the deadly synthetic opioid in drugs, are being misused by drug dealers to falsely advertise "clean" pills on social media. This misuse creates a dangerous false sense of security among users, as the strips are not reliable unless an entire pill or batch is tested. The DEA reports a rise in the potency of fentanyl pills, with 7 out of 10 pills tested in 2023 containing potentially lethal doses. The issue is exacerbated by the lack of quality control in counterfeit pills, leading to inconsistent fentanyl levels.

via NBC News|
#drug-dealers#fentanyl#opioid-crisis
"UK Authorities Sound Alarm Over Deadly 'Zombie Drug' in Cannabis Vapes"
health-drug-abuse2 years ago

"UK Authorities Sound Alarm Over Deadly 'Zombie Drug' in Cannabis Vapes"

The powerful animal tranquilizer xylazine, known as the "zombie drug," is causing major problems in the US and has now been linked to 11 deaths in Britain. Researchers have warned that the drug is being mixed with other substances and is penetrating the UK's illicit drug market, posing a growing public health threat. Healthcare workers have been urged to test skin ulcers for potential links to xylazine use, and there is a call for expanded harm reduction interventions for people who use drugs to help them stay safe.

via The Telegraph|
#drug-abuse#health-drug-abuse#overdose-prevention
"U.S. Opioid Crisis: Methadone and Buprenorphine Sidelines"
health-addiction-treatment2 years ago

"U.S. Opioid Crisis: Methadone and Buprenorphine Sidelines"

The U.S. is failing to effectively utilize medications like methadone and buprenorphine to prevent opioid overdose deaths, with various sectors obstructing their use. Despite their proven effectiveness in reducing overdose deaths and helping individuals achieve stable, healthy lives, barriers such as limited access, stigma, and opposition from organizations like Narcotics Anonymous and methadone clinics persist. The prevailing attitude in the U.S. often favors ineffective detox and 12-step approaches over medication-assisted treatment, contributing to the opioid crisis and exacerbating racial health disparities. Efforts to expand access to these medications and shift attitudes are underway, but outdated laws and practices continue to impede progress.

via STAT|
#addiction-treatment#buprenorphine#health-addiction-treatment
"HHS Expands Opioid Disorder Treatment with Telemedicine at Home"
health2 years ago

"HHS Expands Opioid Disorder Treatment with Telemedicine at Home"

The US Department of Health and Human Services is updating regulations to allow opioid treatment programs to offer telemedicine appointments and at-home doses of methadone, aiming to make treatments more accessible and meet people where they are. These changes are part of the Biden-Harris administration's efforts to combat the ongoing overdose epidemic, including allowing federal grant funds to be used for purchasing test strips for xylazine, an animal sedative often found in street drugs, to prevent overdose and other drug-related harms. The updates are seen as a historic modernization to help connect more Americans with effective treatment for opioid use disorders.

via CNN|
#health#hhs#methadone