We’re pleased to share several articles that may be of interest to the recovery community in New Hampshire and beyond.
House Report Calls On NIH To Study Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies.
Lucid News (7/26, Newcomb) says a new 453-page report, “issued by House Appropriations Committee for Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (known as LaborH), asks the National Institutes of Health ‘and other relevant Federal agencies to undertake, and where appropriate expand, research to evaluate the effectiveness of psychedelic therapies in treating PTSD, major depressive disorder, and other serious mental health conditions.’” The article also mentions the FDA.
DEA Worried About “Trash Cans” Threat.
The Louisville (KY) Courier-Journal (7/27, Warren, 554K) reports the DEA is worried about the threat posed by “trash cans,” which is the street name for “colorful capsules or vials packed haphazardly with fentanyl, an opioid so potent that just a tiny amount can kill.” The Courier-Journal adds, “The capsules are too thick to swallow and the vials have lids or flip-tops,” said DEA Washington Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget.
Long-Acting Treatments May Launch New Era In HIV Prevention, Experts Say.
NBC News (7/28, Ryan, 4.91M) reports that “almost a decade after the daily HIV-prevention pill hit the market, long-acting forms of this public health tool, including a drug-infused implant meant to last a year, have shown promise in clinical trials.” According to NBC, “experts believe such medications could launch a new era in HIV prevention, one that is long overdue for Black, Hispanic and younger people, who have been particularly prone to missing doses and dropping out of prevention programs.” The FDA “is slated to issue a decision about cabotegravir’s use as PrEP by early 2022.”
Biden Administration Announces Two Initiatives To Combat Health Disparities Related To HIV, COVID-19.
PatientEngagementHIT (7/27, McKeon) reports “the Biden Administration, along with HHS, announced two new initiatives to support health equity and combat health disparities relating to COVID-19 and HIV.” For one initiative, “HHS announced that $1.6 billion in funding from the American Rescue Plan will go toward COVID-19 testing and mitigation in vulnerable communities.” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said, “As we continue the vaccination program to get more Americans protected, it is important that we double down on our efforts to increase testing especially in vulnerable communities.” Meanwhile, “HHS launched The HIV Challenge, a nationwide competition aimed at reducing HIV-related stigma and health disparities.” Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine said, “HIV-related stigma is one of the reasons why prevention and treatment options, such as PrEP and ART, are underutilized.”
