<p>No significant change seen in overdose death rates overall from 2018 to 2019, but rate increased among non-Hispanic Blacks</p>
<p>Hospitalizations for cardiac arrest with opioid use linked to higher prevalence of alcohol, depression, and smoking</p>
<p>Sackler family to pay $4.5 billion in bankruptcy settlement, denies any personal responsibility</p>
<p>When asked if he carries any responsibility for the opioid crisis in the United States, Richard Sackler firmly replied: 'No'</p>
<p>Rates of overdose, mental health crises increased after dose tapering among patients prescribed stable, long-term, higher-dose opioid therapy</p>
<p>Money to be used by communities for addiction treatment, prevention services, and other significant costs associated with the epidemic</p>
<p>High-dose buprenorphine protocol well tolerated in patients with untreated opioid use disorder; no reports of respiratory depression or sedation</p>
<p>There are still considerable gaps in medication care, with Black enrollees having lower use than Whites</p>
<p>However, opioids still commonly dispensed, with high-risk prescribing practices suspected in young children</p>
<p>Less than 5 percent of prescribers account for half of all buprenorphine treatment in the country</p>