“We are currently undertaking research to try to better understand these causes, how they contribute to disparities in real-world clinical practice and whether strategies designed to address them are actually effective,” Thompson and Stathi write.
Dr. Katherine Pannel explains the growing fentanyl crisis in Mississippi and possible solutions to reduce drug overdose deaths via education and harm reduction. “Fentanyl test strips are an inexpensive, easy-to-use method to prevent deaths. Not only do these strips save lives, but they also put drug dealers out of business,” she writes.
A group of Mississippi lawmakers is seeking to legalize fentanyl test strips, a tool used to detect the presence of the synthetic opioid. When added to other drugs, fentanyl can cause lethal overdoses for users who are unaware of its presence.
While overdose deaths were already increasing in the months preceding the novel coronavirus disease pandemic, the CDC says the latest numbers suggest an acceleration of overdose deaths during the pandemic.
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