Trump declares opioids a U.S. public health emergency

[webfact]

Trump declares opioids a U.S. public health emergency

By Yasmeen Abutaleb and Jeff Mason

 

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross stands behind U.S. President Donald Trump, who speaks at the Minority Enterprise Development Week White House awards ceremony, at the White House in Washington, U.S., October 24, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency on Thursday, stopping short of a national emergency declaration he promised months ago that would have freed up more federal money.

 

Responding to a growing problem, particularly in rural areas, Trump's declaration will redirect federal resources and loosen regulations to combat opioid abuse, senior administration officials said.

 

But it does not result in more money to combat the crisis. Some critics, including Democratic lawmakers, said the declaration was meaningless without additional funding.

 

Republican lawmakers called the president's declaration an important step in combating the crisis.

 

"This epidemic is a national health emergency," Trump, a Republican, said at the White House. "As Americans, we cannot allow this to continue."

 

Trump, who also called the epidemic a "national shame" and "human tragedy," was introduced by his wife, Melania, who said she had made fighting the epidemic one of her top priorities as first lady. "This can happen to any of us," she said.

 

The president also made a personal reference to addiction in his family by citing his deceased brother Fred, an alcoholic whose advice not to imbibe made an impression on Trump, who does not drink alcohol.

 

The announcement disappointed some advocates and experts in the addiction fight, who said it was inadequate to fight a scourge that played a role in more than 33,000 deaths in 2015, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The death rate has kept rising, estimates show.

 

Opioids, primarily prescription painkillers, heroin and fentanyl, are fuelling the drug overdoses. More than 100 Americans die daily from related overdoses, according to the CDC.

 

A White House commission on the drug crisis had urged Trump to declare a national emergency. On Wednesday, the president told Fox Business Network he would do so.

 

Officials told reporters on the conference call that Federal Emergency Management Agency funds that would have been released under a national emergency are already exhausted from recent storms that struck Puerto Rico, Texas and Florida.

 

The administration would have to work with Congress to help provide additional funding to address drug abuse, they added. They said they determined that a public health emergency declaration was most appropriate after an expansive review.

 

Under Thursday's declaration, treatment would be made more accessible for abusers of prescription painkillers, heroin and fentanyl, while ensuring fewer delays in staffing the Department of Health and Human Services to help states grapple with the crisis.

 

'BAD ACTORS'

 

Trump said he would discuss stopping the flow of fentanyl, a drug 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine, with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to Asia next month.

 

In his remarks, Trump said the U.S. Postal Service and Department of Homeland Security were "strengthening the inspection of packages coming into our country to hold back the flood of cheap and deadly fentanyl, a synthetic opioid manufactured in China."

 

He added he would consider bringing lawsuits against "bad actors" in the epidemic. Several states have sued opioid manufacturers for deceptive marketing. Congress is investigating the business practices of manufacturers.

 

The president also said the government should focus on teaching young people not to take drugs. "There is nothing desirable about drugs. They're bad," he said.

 

Thursday's declaration allows the Department of Labor to issue grants to help dislocated workers affected by the crisis. HIV/AIDS health funding would also be prioritised for those who need substance abuse treatment, officials said.

 

As a candidate, Trump promised to address the crisis, including by building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border to stop the flow of illicit drugs, which he touched on in his speech.

 

Additional actions under the move would be announced in coming weeks by various agencies, officials said.

 

(Additional reporting by James Oliphant, Susan Heavey and Jason Lange; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh, Peter Cooney and Cynthia Osterman)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-10-27

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

[mikebike]

So 45 promised in August to declare the opioid issue a “national emergency” which unlocks a battle fund of 50ish billion dollars to fight the good fight.

 

In October he declares it a “health emergency” which unlocks a war fund of 50ish million to fight the battle.

 

Hmmmmmmm...

[tonray]

This is a result of Congress being in the pocket of the pharma industry and the drug distributors. Shameful what happened but almost impossible to deal with now....the only question is will the efforts focus solely on after treatment and ending addiction or will Trump actually have the balls to go after the distributors who are pushing so much of this poison on the streets.

[mikebike]

3 minutes ago, tonray said:

This is a result of Congress being in the pocket of the pharma industry and the drug distributors. Shameful what happened but almost impossible to deal with now....the only question is will the efforts focus solely on after treatment and ending addiction or will Trump actually have the balls to go after the distributors who are pushing so much of this poison on the streets.

By declaring a health emergency I sincerely doubt that 50ish million will dent an industry lobby which spends 250ish million per election cycle.

[mikebike]

This is optics to con the sheeple into believing something is being done while the hogs on both sides of the aisle continue to feed at the trough and let industry lobbyists write policy.

[BuaBS]

Government overreach again. Let people decide what to use even if it kills them.

[mikebike]

Just now, BuaBS said:

Government overreach again. Let people decide what to use even if it kills them.

In theory I agree completely. Unfortunately because of industry incentives to Drs to push opioid painkillers for any and every ailment over the last couple of decades many were addicted without being able to make an informed decision.

[selftaopath]

3 minutes ago, BuaBS said:

Government overreach again. Let people decide what to use even if it kills them.

Not sure a/b "govt. overreach", but why not make everything legal e.g. drugs/prostitution ?  I think this would result in many positive outcomes compared to the system as it is.

[Srikcir]

2 hours ago, mikebike said:

So 45 promised in August to declare the opioid issue a “national emergency” which unlocks a battle fund of 50ish billion dollars to fight the good fight.

 

In October he declares it a “health emergency” which unlocks a war fund of 50ish million to fight the battle.

 

Hmmmmmmm...

There is no emergency funding per se.

The nationwide health emergency will expand access to telemedicine in rural areas, instruct agencies to curb bureaucratic delays for dispensing grant money and shift some federal grants towards combating the crisis.

If Trump had used the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, the federal government would have been able to immediately tap into funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Disaster Relief Fund to combat opioids. Congress would have to fund the Public Health Emergency Fund at a time when it hasn't formulated the FY 2018 budget. There is no guarantee it will fund anything to opioids crisis.

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/10/26/politics/national-health-emergency-national-disaster/index.html

 

[mrfill]

I doubt the problem will be solved. 140 Americans die every die from opioids but the producers and dealers continue their business uninterrupted. The pharma companies will continue to produce the meds very cheaply and then lavish gifts ($8bn in 2016 to more than 630,000 physicians) on to the dealers (the doctors) to sweeten the pill. The users, who get addicted fairly quickly, have little choice but at least their dealers still happily issue opioids like there's no tomorrow. According to a congressional committee, the little town of Kermit in West Virginia received almost nine million opioid pills in two years. Kermit has a population of 400 people.

Where do they start? Attacking the profits of the pharma companies? Attack the doctors for taking bribes? Or will they pursue the bottom end users who are the victims of this appalling get rich quick scheme.

The pharma companies and doctors are making billions on the back of this misery and its all legal.

So much for the war on drugs.......

 

[KKr]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

HIV/AIDS health funding would also be prioritised for those who need substance abuse treatment, officials said.

Anybody who can explain to me what this means ?
Less money for HIV/AIDS (an infectious disease) ?
that then will be allocated to druggoos (usually either a chosen way of life or result of a medical malpractice) ?

[ilostmypassword]

What's even sadder is that hard working poppy growers are now being out-competed by hard working chemists manufacturing fentanyl.

[ilostmypassword]

Louis Therous had a good

2 hours ago, mrfill said:

I doubt the problem will be solved. 140 Americans die every die from opioids but the producers and dealers continue their business uninterrupted. The pharma companies will continue to produce the meds very cheaply and then lavish gifts ($8bn in 2016 to more than 630,000 physicians) on to the dealers (the doctors) to sweeten the pill. The users, who get addicted fairly quickly, have little choice but at least their dealers still happily issue opioids like there's no tomorrow. According to a congressional committee, the little town of Kermit in West Virginia received almost nine million opioid pills in two years. Kermit has a population of 400 people.

Where do they start? Attacking the profits of the pharma companies? Attack the doctors for taking bribes? Or will they pursue the bottom end users who are the victims of this appalling get rich quick scheme.

The pharma companies and doctors are making billions on the back of this misery and its all legal.

So much for the war on drugs.......

 

Louis Theroux from the BBC had a good documentary on the opioid crisis in West Virginia.

[phantomfiddler]

5 hours ago, ALLSEEINGEYE said:

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Methinks if Trump saved you from drowning you would jump in front of a fast moving truck before you would say "thank you" :)

[Dumbastheycome]

Emergency? Can he  not  get  enough?

[jerojero]

Government overreach again. Let people decide what to use even if it kills them.

Yes, f.the people who can't help themselves and make a mistake like getting hooked on drugs. Such compassion. Trump would be proud of you.

Sent from my SM-G950W using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Foozool]

A circus that is managed by GOP for more profit for US drug companies. 

Edited October 27, 2017 by Foozool

[Trouble]

Those who think throwing money at the problem will solve it are naive.  Government throws money at everything and nothing gets fixed.  The cure to the problem is restricting who prescribes and how often one gets prescriptions.  There is no doubt that drug companies are happy with the number of prescriptions written, however it is the doctors who must be blamed for the problem.  Knowing your patient, caring for your patient, understanding the true needs of the patient are the doctors' responsibilities.  Start investigating some of these doctors giving out prescriptions by the hundreds/thousands and start taking away licenses might be a first step.  Congress is also the problem in that it can't make decisions on anything and needs to set parameters for prescribing opioids.

[selftaopath]

Trump Declares Opioid Crisis a ‘Health Emergency’ but Requests No Funds

15 hours ago, BuaBS said:

Government overreach again. Let people decide what to use even if it kills them.

Not sure a/b "govt. overreach", but why not make everything legal e.g. drugs/prostitution ?  I think this would result in many positive outcomes compared to the system as it is.

[selftaopath]

14 hours ago, mrfill said:

I doubt the problem will be solved. 140 Americans die every die from opioids but the producers and dealers continue their business uninterrupted. The pharma companies will continue to produce the meds very cheaply and then lavish gifts ($8bn in 2016 to more than 630,000 physicians) on to the dealers (the doctors) to sweeten the pill. The users, who get addicted fairly quickly, have little choice but at least their dealers still happily issue opioids like there's no tomorrow. According to a congressional committee, the little town of Kermit in West Virginia received almost nine million opioid pills in two years. Kermit has a population of 400 people.

Where do they start? Attacking the profits of the pharma companies? Attack the doctors for taking bribes? Or will they pursue the bottom end users who are the victims of this appalling get rich quick scheme.

The pharma companies and doctors are making billions on the back of this misery and its all legal.

So much for the war on drugs.......

 

Money/profit to drug companies and the highest cost is to Americans for a product made in America. Watch Senator Al Franken interview a lobbyist. 

 

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

On 10/27/2017 at 6:56 PM, phantomfiddler said:

Methinks if Trump saved you from drowning you would jump in front of a fast moving truck before you would say "thank you" :)

I think if you watched Trump drown a baby you would just say "good it was probably and anchor baby anyway" !!

[ilostmypassword]

On 10/28/2017 at 5:13 AM, Trouble said:

Those who think throwing money at the problem will solve it are naive.  Government throws money at everything and nothing gets fixed.  The cure to the problem is restricting who prescribes and how often one gets prescriptions.  There is no doubt that drug companies are happy with the number of prescriptions written, however it is the doctors who must be blamed for the problem.  Knowing your patient, caring for your patient, understanding the true needs of the patient are the doctors' responsibilities.  Start investigating some of these doctors giving out prescriptions by the hundreds/thousands and start taking away licenses might be a first step.  Congress is also the problem in that it can't make decisions on anything and needs to set parameters for prescribing opioids.Amid opioid epidemic, rules for drug c

 

ompanies are loosened

...

Amid opioid epidemic, rules for drug companies are loosened

But this spring, with little attention and virtually no public opposition, lawmakers approved and the president signed a new law that makes it more difficult for government to take action against a key player in the crisis: the pharmaceutical industry.

The law allows companies accused of failing to report suspicious orders of dangerous drugs to submit a “corrective action plan” to persuade the Drug Enforcement Administration to postpone or abandon proceedings against them...

The measure was backed by manufacturers, wholesalers and pharmacy chains, including some targeted by the DEA in recent years for not doing enough to keep drugs from addicts and drug dealers.

http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-pharma-bill-20160728-snap-story.html

 

Trump says drug czar nominee Tom Marino is withdrawing after Washington Post/‘60 Minutes’ investigation

President Trump on Tuesday said his nominee to be the nation's drug czar is withdrawing from consideration for the job — a move that comes in the wake of a Washington Post/“60 Minutes” investigation detailing how the lawmaker helped steer legislation through Congress that weakened the Drug Enforcement Administration’s ability to go after drug distributors, even as opioid-related deaths continue to rise.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/10/17/trump-says-drug-czar-nominee-tom-marino-is-withdrawing-after-washington-post60-minutes-investigation/?utm_term=.e26146b3e709

 

[mtls2005]

The Family That Built an Empire of Pain

 

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/10/30/the-family-that-built-an-empire-of-pain

 

 

THE SECRETIVE FAMILY MAKING BILLIONS FROM THE OPIOID CRISIS

 

http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a12775932/sackler-family-oxycontin/

 

 

[lannarebirth]

On 10/27/2017 at 12:11 AM, mikebike said:

By declaring a health emergency I sincerely doubt that 50ish million will dent an industry lobby which spends 250ish million per election cycle.

Better to declare a campaign finance emergency. Truth is, America has a false economy. Fifty percent makes its money from starting a fire and the other 50% makes its money from putting it out. Or pretending to anyway.

Edited November 23, 2017 by lannarebirth

[mtls2005]

Oxy manufacturer, Purdue, knew about "Pill Mills", specifically did not comp salespeople who had pill mills in their region.

 

 

Full Coverage: Oxycontin Investigation

 

http://www.latimes.com/projects/la-me-oxycontin-full-coverage/

 

 

Settlement from 2007...

 

In Guilty Plea, OxyContin Maker to Pay $600 Million

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/10/business/11drug-web.html

 

 

Edited November 23, 2017 by mtls2005

[lannarebirth]

On 10/27/2017 at 9:04 AM, Foozool said:

A circus that is managed by GOP for more profit for US drug companies. 

I suggest you do some research on where the Big Pharma donations to Congress go. Hillary Clinton's highly paid speeches might be a goood place to start.

[lannarebirth]

On 11/5/2017 at 12:12 AM, ilostmypassword said:

...

Amid opioid epidemic, rules for drug companies are loosened

But this spring, with little attention and virtually no public opposition, lawmakers approved and the president signed a new law that makes it more difficult for government to take action against a key player in the crisis: the pharmaceutical industry.

The law allows companies accused of failing to report suspicious orders of dangerous drugs to submit a “corrective action plan” to persuade the Drug Enforcement Administration to postpone or abandon proceedings against them...

The measure was backed by manufacturers, wholesalers and pharmacy chains, including some targeted by the DEA in recent years for not doing enough to keep drugs from addicts and drug dealers.

http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-pharma-bill-20160728-snap-story.html

 

Trump says drug czar nominee Tom Marino is withdrawing after Washington Post/‘60 Minutes’ investigation

President Trump on Tuesday said his nominee to be the nation's drug czar is withdrawing from consideration for the job — a move that comes in the wake of a Washington Post/“60 Minutes” investigation detailing how the lawmaker helped steer legislation through Congress that weakened the Drug Enforcement Administration’s ability to go after drug distributors, even as opioid-related deaths continue to rise.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/10/17/trump-says-drug-czar-nominee-tom-marino-is-withdrawing-after-washington-post60-minutes-investigation/?utm_term=.e26146b3e709

 

 

That's a pretty disingenuous post. Watch the 60 Minutes segment. The problem that exists in the DEA (and many other government agencies) existed long before Trump came along. To Trump's credit he signed this Executive Order:

 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/01/28/executive-order-ethics-commitments-executive-branch-appointees

 

A better EO would have a lifetime ban. As the 60 Minutes piece pointed out it is the revolving door that is the problem.

[Foozool]

19 minutes ago, lannarebirth said:

I suggest you do some research on where the Big Pharma donations to Congress go. Hillary Clinton's highly paid speeches might be a goood place to start.

Both side the same to me.

I have not voted for any for 17 years. 

I don't see any qualify any side. 

 

[ilostmypassword]

22 minutes ago, lannarebirth said:

I suggest you do some research on where the Big Pharma donations to Congress go. Hillary Clinton's highly paid speeches might be a goood place to start.

First off, Hillary Clinton isn't a member of Congress, so that's a non sequitur. 

And you might want to follow your own advice. Not only did Big Pharma give a lot more to Republican member of Congress in the 2016 elections, but the difference was especially pronounced in close elections where giving would make the most difference.

"In the most competitive House contests — those rated as toss-ups or only leaningtoward either party by the Cook Political Report — pharmaceutical PACs have given more than $435,000 to Republicans, a separate STAT analysis found. By comparison, the committees have given less than $70,000 to Democrats in those races."

https://www.statnews.com/2016/11/02/fearing-democratic-tidal-wave-drug-industry-pouring-money-gop-coffers/