Researchers at Florida Atlantic University recently took an in-depth look into chronic pain patients and how the genes of these 25,000 people inform addiction. In the research, they found that around 20 percent of patients indicate that they are going to end up addicted to the drugs. Through their work, they also came up with a method to create an “addiction risk score” that can work as a better tool for doctors to determine which of their patients are more likely to end up addicted to opioids.
Late last month, President Trump signed into law landmark new opioid legislation. The Support for Patients and Communities Act is designed to stop illegal drugs at the border, and it establishes supports for other treatments, recovery and prevention.
Today, surfing is a great passion of James Fata, but earlier in his life was something else. “I tried my first drug at the age of 12, and then I quickly progressed to the one I liked the most, which was opiates,” said Fata.
Like millions of Americans, Fata liked the way the pills made him feel.
“It numbed all the anxiety and negative emotions that were always in me,” Fata shared.
Dr. Janet Robishaw, Senior Associate Dean for Research & Chair of Biomedical Sciences at Charles E Schmidt College of Medicine from Florida Atlantic University says the overprescribing of painkillers like Vicodin and oxycontin has led to a condition called opioid use disorder. Click Here to Read More