NBC News (8/31, Edwards) reports, “The number of people who have overdosed and died from fake prescription pills has more than doubled in recent years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday.” The report by the CDC, “released to coincide with International Overdose Awareness Day, found that from mid-2019 to the end of 2021, overdose deaths involving counterfeit drugs more than doubled, from 2% to 4.7%.” Among deaths involving fake pills, “illicit fentanyl was detected in 93%,” and “more than half of the deaths – 57.1% – occurred among people younger than 35.”

The Hill (8/31, Sforza) reports, “In total, there were more than 54,000 overdose deaths with evidence of counterfeit pill use.” The report “found that more than half of the deaths with evidence of fake pill use were related to counterfeit oxycodone or with counterfeit alprazolam, which is more commonly sold under the brand name Xanax.”

CNN (8/31, McPhillips) reports, “Methamphetamine was detected in about a quarter of deaths where counterfeit pills were involved, while cocaine and benzodiazepines were present in more than one in eight cases.”

Related Links:

— “Overdose deaths from fake pills are rising, especially among younger adults,” Erika Edwards, NBC News, August 31, 2023

Bloomberg (8/31, Beckwith, Subscription Publication) reports, “The Biden administration announced a $450 million effort to fight overdoses caused by fentanyl and other opioids amid a nationwide surge that has become a 2024 campaign issue.” In a briefing Thursday, “White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden said…the money would be spent on prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery services, as well as cracking down on drug trafficking.”

The Hill (8/31, Gangitano) reports, “The investment on Thursday also includes the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarding more than $57.6 million to connect Americans to substance use treatment and recovery support services.” And the CDC “will award $279 million in Overdose Data to Action grants to states and localities to expand harm reduction strategies.”

Related Links:

— “Biden administration announces $450M in funding to beat overdose epidemic,”Alex Gangitano, Bloomberg, August 31, 2023

CBS News (8/31, Saint Louis) publishes a KFF article that reports, “Since the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline transitioned a year ago to the three-digit crisis phone number 988, there has been a 33% increase in the number of calls, chats, and texts to the hotline.” But “even with that early sign of success, the program’s financial future is shaky.” Although “the federal government has provided about $1 billion…to launch the number,” after that, “it’s up to states to foot the bill for their call centers.”

Related Links:

— “Most states have yet to permanently fund 988 Lifeline despite early successes,”Christina Saint Louis, CBS News, August 31, 2023

Healio (8/31, Weldon) reports, “Depression among children did not increase substantially between 2004 and 2019, according to the” findings of a 41-study systematic review and meta-analysis published online Aug. 28 in JAMA Pediatrics.

Related Links:

— “Study: Depression among children ‘uncommon’ in years before pandemic,”Rose Weldon, Healio, August 31, 2023

Healio (8/30, Hornick) reports, “The impact of COVID-19 extends beyond those who get infected and evokes symptoms of anxiety, depression and PTSD in their families, according to two studies published in Annals of the American Thoracic Society.” In one study, investigators “analyzed 90 families of patients who had COVID-19 between September 2020 and April 2021 to determine the prevalence of anxiety, depression and stress while their relative was in the ICU compared with after their time in the ICU.” In the other study, researchers “assessed 115…family members of patients with COVID-19 in the ICU across five states to understand how PTSD symptoms vary at different times points within 1 year of their relative entering the ICU.”

Related Links:

— “Families of patients with COVID-19 suffer with anxiety, depression, PTSD,”Isabella Hornick, Healio, August 31, 2023