10-5-2017

Hospital treatment rates for heroin rose more than 31 percent between 2008 and 2014, while treatment rates for prescription opioids have declined, according to a new study.

Health insurer Cigna announced this week it will stop covering the prescription opioid OxyContin in an effort to reduce inappropriate use of the drug. Instead it will cover an equivalent drug less vulnerable to being misused.

The Food and Drug Administration announced it will require makers of fast-acting opioids to fund voluntary training for healthcare professionals who prescribe the drugs, according to Reuters.

People searching for high-quality care for alcohol use disorder have a new online tool to help them. The tool, called the Alcohol Treatment Navigator, is provided by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Korean scientists have developed a portable, quick urine test for amphetamines, HealthDay reports.