Fentanyl News

Bipartisan Report Calls for New Strategy, Cabinet Post to Fight Opioid Epidemic

The U.S. needs a nimble, multipronged strategy and Cabinet-level leadership to counter its festering overdose epidemic, a bipartisan congressional commission advises. With vastly powerful synthetic drugs like fentanyl driving record overdose deaths, the scourge of opioids awaits after the COVID-19 …

Women Sue Yale Over Fentanyl Switch-Up at Fertility Clinic

Seven women who say they suffered excruciating pain after a nurse stole fentanyl for her personal use and replaced it with saline sued Yale University on Wednesday, alleging it of failing to safeguard its supply of the painkilling opioid at …

Fatal Overdoses in Kentucky Grew 49% in 2020

Fatal drug overdoses in Kentucky _ an ongoing scourge that has ravaged communities in the state _ surged nearly 50% last year and isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic was a “major contributing factor,” a state report concludes. More than …

Settlements with Ohio Hospital System Reach Nearly $4.5M in Painkiller Deaths Case

An Ohio hospital system has reached nearly $4.5 million in settlements so far over the deaths of patients who allegedly received excessive painkiller doses ordered by a doctor now charged with murder. At least 29 wrongful-death lawsuits have been filed …

Ohio Hospital Settles 3 Excessive Dose Claim Lawsuits

The Ohio hospital system where an intensive care doctor is accused of ordering excessive doses of painkillers for dozens of patients who died is settling three resulting wrongful-death cases, while 24 more lawsuits are pending. The family of 78-year-old Lora …

New Suits Filed Over Pain Meds Given to Near-Death Patients in Ohio

An Ohio man said on Jan. 16 he was stunned to learn of allegations that his wife’s hospital death last year was caused by a doctor’s order for a fatal dose of pain medication. David Austin said he called an …

Ohio Hospital: Doc Gave Excessive Pain Meds to Near-Death Patients, Suit Filed

An intensive care doctor ordered “significantly excessive and potentially fatal” doses of pain medicine for at least 27 near-death patients in the past few years after families asked that lifesaving measures be stopped, an Ohio hospital system announced after being …

Massachusetts Bans Opioids from Courtrooms Over Exposure Fears

Massachusetts is banning some powerful opioids from courtrooms, because state court officials are worried people could be sickened by the drugs. The new policy was outlined in a memo to Massachusetts trial court officials on Tuesday. It goes into effect …

Opioid Epidemic Plagues Workers’ Comp

Editor’s Note: This is part of a team report on opioid use by injured workers. For stories focused on particular regions click on the respective links below. The national “epidemic” of opioid usage has garnered a great deal of public …

Georgia Man Sentenced in Crash Blamed on Prescription Drug

A Georgia man will serve 15 years in prison after being convicted of DUI and homicide by vehicle. A Pierce County jury has convicted 37-year-old Clinton Deloach Jr. of Patterson of being under the influence of prescription drugs in the …