Opioids are powerful painkillers derived from either the opium poppy or synthetic versions of it. These highly addictive substances have spurned an epidemic in the United States. Here's the latest news on the science of opioids, who they impact and possible treatments.
Latest about opioids
Electric pulses to the brain may make people easier to hypnotize
In a new clinical trial, short bursts of brain stimulation briefly made patients with chronic pain more susceptible to hypnosis.
New syndrome identified in children exposed to fentanyl in the womb
Doctors have described a potential new syndrome seen in infants whose mothers used nonprescription fentanyl during pregnancy.
Do redheads really need more anesthesia?
Redheads are said to experience pain differently than other people and require higher doses of pain medications, depending on the drug used. Why?
FDA approves over-the-counter Narcan to combat opioid overdose crisis
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a naloxone nasal spray for over-the-counter use.
Opioids are the most common cause of fatal poisonings in kids under 5
Opioids account for a greater proportion of fatal pediatric poisonings than they did a decade ago.
Horse tranquilizer crops up in overdose deaths around US
Half of U.S. states reported detecting the tranquilizer in fatal drug overdose cases in 2019.
Horse tranquilizer emerges as new and deadly street drug in US
Called xylazine, the drug is a sedative used in veterinary medicine, and is not approved for use in humans.
'Diseases of despair' on the rise across the US
The U.S. has also been facing another deadly, but less visible, public health crisis.
