WASHINGTON — Scott Gottlieb, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, announced new steps the agency would take to promote the use and development of medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorder at a House hearing on Wednesday.
Gottlieb also rapped the insurance industry for what he called “often inadequate” coverage of existing therapies that combine counseling and medication-assisted treatment.
“To tackle the treatment gap, FDA is planning to convene experts and stakeholders to discuss the evidence of treatment benefits at the population level — such as studies that show community-wide reductions in overdose following expansion of access to therapy,” Gottlieb said.
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It is interesting that FDA plans to treat one abuse of medication with pushing the use of another medication – which may turn out to be as addictive or may have additional side effects. It almost seems as if Trump waited to declare emergency funds release till a pharma company to profit from opiod crisis could be identified?
“During the most recent meeting, drug company CEOs promoted their products and sought Food and Drug Administration and Medicaid reimbursement rates that would benefit their proposed opioid treatments and alternatives.”
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/10/17/trump-says-hell-declare-opioid-crisis-national-emergency-heres-what-could-mean/733391001/
Sagar, follow the medical evidence instead of your biases. MAT is the most effective treatment for opioid dependence.
There are multiple companies involved in making these drugs. Methadone has been generic for decades, and the most used formulation of buprenorphine is also generic.
“Pharma” is not singular or monolithic.
Addiction and dependence are two different things. Buprenorphine is fading and changing millions of addicts lives. Although I am still an “addict” according to you, in the past couple years I’ve gone from spending all my time and money on drugs to having an actual career, relationship, and just bought my first home. It’s given me my life back, and no, I don’t get any sort of”buzz” or “high” from it. Your comment is ignorant and dangerous, potentially discouraging people and parents from seeking effective help for themslves and loved ones rather than letting them die slowly in a revolving door of rehab/detox.
Amazing. Asking the pharmaceutical industry, that made billions off selling opioids, to now develop new drugs to treat the addictions they created. Not a solution. Not prevention. Just more profits. Clearly the FDA is in the pocket of pharma.
The obvious alternative is marijuana.
The FDA and DEA needs to stop supporting Big Pharma as drug pushers.
Why is the American medical establishment refusing to consider the use of Ibogaine in opioid addiction treatment? This drug is used throughout Europe, Canada and Mexico, but Americans must travel outside the country to use it, and American insurance refuses to cover it.