An opioid prescribing practice standard for chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) was associated with accelerated declines in opioid doses and high-dose prescribing in British Columbia (BC) but also with more aggressive and inappropriate dose tapering, a new analysis showed. In addition, the standard resulted in restricted access to opioids for patients who may have benefited from … Read more
More Americans use illicit opioids such as fentanyl than previously estimated, highlighting the need for better methods to understand the depths of the opioid crisis, according to a new study. A survey of American adults found that 11% reported illicit opioid use within the past 12 months and 7.5% reported use of illicitly produced fentanyl … Read more
Archyde Mindfulness Therapy Shows Promise in Combating Opioid Addiction Published: April 30, 2025 17:51:33 UTC SAN DIEGO – A mindfulness-based therapy is showing potential as a weapon against the opioid crisis. Researchers at the University of California San Diego have discovered that Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) can effectively rewire the brain’s response to natural pleasures, … Read more
Researchers from the University of California San Diego have found that Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) can help rewire the brain’s response to natural healthy pleasure, leading to improved mood, greater attention to positive experiences and reduced opioid cravings. The findings, published on April 30, 2025 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), suggest … Read more
TOPLINE: The combination of remimazolam and ketamine for deep analgosedation during pulsed-field ablation for atrial fibrillation was associated with fewer adverse events than propofol-based methods, with the regimen significantly reducing hypoxemia and hypotension. METHODOLOGY: Czech researchers conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial involving 127 patients (mean age, 62.9 years; 35.1% women) with an indication for … Read more
The Shadow Economy of prescription Drugs: A Firsthand Account of Exploitation and its Aftermath Table of Contents The Shadow Economy of prescription Drugs: A Firsthand Account of Exploitation and its Aftermath The Rise of “Doctor Shopping” Monetizing Medication: A Parallel Market Doctor Shopping: Trends, Risks, and How to Spot It What is Doctor Shopping? Current … Read more
Illicit drug toxicity is an “escalating public health emergency” in Canada that significantly affects adolescents, yet pediatricians are ill prepared to manage it, new research suggested. A study of more than 1000 pediatricians in Canada who care for young people aged 12-18 years found that while close to 14% reported caring for at least one … Read more
A year-long clinical trial showed that both mindfulness-based therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy significantly reduce pain and opioid use in adults with chronic low back pain, with comparable long-term outcomes. Study: Mindfulness vs Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain Treated With Opioids: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Image Credit: Sasin Paraska / Shutterstock.com Both mindfulness-based therapy (MBT) and … Read more
Low-value care-medical tests and procedures that provide little to no benefit to patients-contributes to excess medical spending and both direct and cascading harms to patients. A research team from Mass General Brigham and their collaborators have found that telemedicine may help to reduce the use of low-value tests. The work is published in JAMA Internal … Read more
Chronic pain is complex and difficult to treat. Prescribing opioid pain medications has become controversial but may help some patients. With the goal of informing clinician practice, a new study explores the harms and benefits of continuing and of discontinuing the long-term prescription of opioid medicines to adults with chronic pain. The authors analyzed the … Read more