Addiction Medicine
Feature
United Healthcare settles claims it violated mental health parity
The joint New York–federal investigation determined that United Healthcare reduced reimbursement rates for out-of-network mental health services...
From the Journals
‘Deeper dive’ into opioid overdose deaths during COVID pandemic
Results also showed that, compared to 2019, significantly more men died from overdoses in 2020 in Colorado and Indiana.
News from the FDA/CDC
EDs saw more benzodiazepine overdoses, but fewer patients overall, in 2020
Fentanyl became increasingly involved in benzodiazepine overdose deaths through the first half of the year.
Latest News
Self-described ‘assassin,’ now doctor, indicted for 1M illegal opioid doses
Dr. Talbot refers to himself as “a former assassin,” “retired military commander,” and “leader of the Medellin Cartel’s New York operations at the...
Shrink Rap News
Four police suicides in the aftermath of the Capitol siege: What can we learn?
“Officers are doers and fixers, and it is seen as being more honorable to take yourself out of the equation than it is to ask for help.”
Feature
Pups for veterans with PTSD: Biden signs PAWS act into law
H.R. 1448 orders the VA to begin a pilot program that will examine the utility and effectiveness of service dogs for improving the mental health...
From the Journals
Genetic link may tie cannabis use disorder to severe COVID-19
“These data have important implications for policy regarding vaccination as well as treatment prioritization,” said lead author Dr. Alexander S....
Conference Coverage
Explosive aggression may be neurologic
Aggression is an underappreciated mental health issue, and biological mechanisms might help explain more extreme forms like intermittent explosive...
Feature
Pfizer recalls four more lots of smoking cessation drug Chantix
On July 2, the FDA reported that Pfizer had voluntarily recalled nine lots of the drug.
From the Journals
Opioid prescribing laws having an impact
The number of days an opioid was prescribed for each Medicare beneficiary decreased by 11.6 days in 2018 in states that imposed duration limits....
From the Journals
Strong support for causal role of cannabis in schizophrenia
"Our study clearly indicates that cannabis should not be considered harmless," wrote Dr. Carsten Hjorthøj.