Each year in the United States, doctors write about 115 million prescriptions for opioid pain medications. Results of a study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan and the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth suggest that approximately 60 million of these opioid prescriptions, or 51 percent, are written for adults with mental health issues like depression and anxiety.

Only 16 percent of the overall population has a mental illness, according to Matthew Davis, lead author of the study and assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing,. Among the 38.6 million adults in the U.S. with diagnosed mental disorders, more than 18 percent are prescribed opioid medications each year, while only 5 percent of adults without mental health disorders are prescribed opoids.

These are alarming statistics because people with mental health issues may be more vulnerable to the effects of opioids and more susceptible to opioid dependence and abuse, say the researchers, whose study will be published online in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine on July 6.

Sourced from: Eurekalert; University of Michigan

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just taken steps to improve competition in the prescription drug market and encourage lower-cost drug alternatives for consumers.

The FDA published a list of drugs that don’t have approved genetic versions, with the goal of encouraging the development of new generics. It also implemented a new policy to speed up its review of generic drug applications in classes of medication with limited competition. In addition, the agency will expedite its review of generic drug applications until there are three approved generics for a given drug, which could significantly lowers consumer drug prices.

On July 18, 2017, the FDA will hold a public meeting on the accessibility of generic drugs. Additional steps to improve the prescription drug market are expected to be announced soon.

Sourced from: FDA

Osteoarthritis—the wear-and-tear form of degenerative joint disease—is the most common joint condition, according to the Arthritis Foundation. It affects more wommen than men, and a new study suggests the reasons for this gender-related disparity: differences in the composition of synovial fluid between men and women.

Synovial fluid surrounds the joints and protects cartilage that covers the ends of bones where they meet in the joints. Researchers at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University analyzed the synovial fluid of men and women with and without osteoarthritis. Results of the study were published in Scientific Reports.

They found differences that may be influenced by the female hormone estrogen, which plays an important role in the development of osteoarthritis. Hormone levels typically decrease with age and in postmenopausal woman, lower estrogen levels appear to increase osteoarthritis risk.

Sourced from: MNT