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FDA Asks Endo to Withdraw Opana ER

June 13, 2017 | Outpatient Surgery Magazine

For the first time ever, the Food and Drug Administration has asked a drug maker to pull a currently marketed opioid pain medication off the market over concerns that the drug is too easily abused.

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Opioids and Orthopedics Don't Mix

May 30, 2017 | Outpatient Surgery Magazine

Orthopedic surgeons need to consider opioid-sparing ways to manage their patients' joint discomfort before and after surgery, according to a pair of newly released studies. One shows the pre-op use of opioids negatively impacts the pain patients experience after surgery. The other suggests that overprescribing the powerful painkillers to manage post-op pain could be contributing to the opioid crisis that's gripping the nation.

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Trump Administration Proposes Big Cuts In Medical Research - Expands Opioid Prevention Efforts

May 16, 2017 | National Public Radio

Biomedical research and public health are among the big losers in the Trump administration's proposed budget. The proposal promises a "major reorganization" in the National Institutes of Health, which supports most of the nation's research on diseases and treatments. That includes a cut of $5.8 billion, about 20 percent of NIH's $30 billion budget. However, the proposal also promises an additional $500 million for the Department of Health and Human Services to "expand opioid misuse prevention efforts..."

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Novartis pushes further into pain with Durect deal

May 8, 2017 | BioPharma Dive

Novartis’ generics and biosimilar unit Sandoz announced on Monday a new agreement with Durect Corp. for one of the small drug developer’s pain medications — Posimir (bupivacaine), a post-surgery pain reliever currently in late-stage testing. The candidate caught the eye of Novartis, which is paying $20 million upfront for U.S. commercialization and development rights. Durect can also receive $273 million in milestones, with $43 million for R&D achievements and another $230 million for meeting sales goals, as well as tiered double-digit royalties should the drug make it to market.

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Cherokee Nation Sues Wal-Mart, CVS, Walgreens Over Tribal Opioid Crisis

April 25, 2017 | National Public Radio

The Cherokee Nation is suing top drug distributors and pharmacies — including Wal-Mart — alleging they profited greatly by "flooding" communities in Oklahoma with prescription painkillers, leading to the deaths of hundreds of tribal members. The suit includes the nation's three largest pharmaceutical distributors: AmerisourceBergen, McKesson and Cardinal Health.

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