Public Health

Arizona has overtaken West Virginia as the state with the highest drug death rate in the contiguous U.S., marking the first time since the prescription opioid epidemic began that West Virginia has lost the distinction. The shift has been fueled…

A toxicology journal has retracted a 2010 study that claimed male newborns vaccinated against hepatitis B in their first month of life had threefold greater odds of an autism diagnosis than those vaccinated later or not at all. In a…

U.S. drug overdose deaths are falling at a pace not seen in a generation — and the latest federal data suggests the decline is broad and accelerating. Provisional drug overdose deaths dropped in 42 of 50 states in the 12…

A new class of synthetic opioids known as orphines is emerging in the U.S., raising concerns for public health officials and clinicians, The New York Times reported May 5.  Orphines began appearing in the U.S. drug supply in the fall,…

The federal government launched a behavioral health research initiative, with $50 million allocated to match state investments in psychedelic research, including psilocybin, a hallucinogenic compound being studied to treat serious mental illness. Research interest in psilocybin is growing, particularly for…

A plant-based psychoactive compound, ibogaine, is making headlines. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to accelerate research, regulatory review and access to psychedelic drugs, including ibogaine compounds. Texas is moving forward with its own research program, and Mississippi is…

The World Health Organization has updated several recommendations for the treatment of opioid dependency and community management of opioid overdose.  Opioid use remains a major global health burden. In 2023, an estimated 316 million people worldwide used the drug, including…