FDA is drawing attention to dental problems linked to buprenorphine-containing medications that are dissolved under the tongue or placed against the inside of the cheek to treat opioid use disorder and pain.

Between 2019 and 2020, illicitly manufactured fentanyl-related overdose deaths increased substantially in western, southern, and midwestern states, CDC reported.

According to CDC, people most often cite pain management as their reason for using medical cannabis in the United States. But according to a new clinical practice guideline published by Busse and colleagues in the September 2021 issue of BMJ, there is weak evidence to support the use of non-inhaled medical cannabis or cannabinoids for chronic pain. The recommendation is based on a robust analysis of results from 32 randomized controlled clinical trials.

Preliminary CDC data show that drug overdose deaths in the United States hit a record high in the 12-month period ending in March 2021.

In the ongoing aftermath of the opioid crisis, it’s common for physicians to attempt to wean some patients off opioids in favor of alternative means of pain management. But while the goal is increased safety for the patient, opioid tapering does not come without risks. A recent study in JAMA found a significant association between opioid dose tapering and both overdose and mental health crises.