In August, the Drug Enforcement Administration will begin enforcing a law requiring hospices document each step taken to dispose of opioid medications after a patient's death. The agency does not plan to issue regulations on how to comply, according to William Dombi of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice.

The University of Maryland School of Medicine is establishing a division of palliative medicine with two physician instructors and a clinical care team that includes a pharmacist, pastoral care expert, social worker, nurse practitioners and nurses. A fellowship and research program are planned, according to Dr. Stephen Davis.

By looking at the immune systems of people with complex regional pain syndrome, a team of international researchers say they have found a potential treatment in anakinra, a drug that blocks interleukin 1, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "This approach has attractive therapeutic potential and could also have a real impact on the treatment of other unexplained chronic pain conditions," lead researcher Andreas Goebel said.

The rate of suicide among adults ages 18 to 34 rose by 35% between 2007 and 2017, while drug-related deaths increased by 108% and alcohol-related deaths rose by 69%, according to a report from the Trust for America's Health and the Well Being Trust. "The huge increase in the numbers of millennials being lost to substance misuse and suicide is a national tragedy," said John Auerbach, CEO of Trust for America's Health.

A study from the Anthem Public Policy Institute found patients with chronic or acute conditions have a different understanding of social determinants of health than researchers and the media, with individuals more concerned on daily influences such as obtaining healthful food, social support or finding the right health care provider, while researchers are more focused on education, income level and other structural factors. "By better understanding how individuals view and talk about social determinants, payers and providers alike can identify new and improved ways to engage with them to more effectively improve their health and well-being and the delivery of healthcare," said Jennifer Kowalski, vice president of the institute.

An analysis of four data sets found deficiencies in health care access and delivery had an estimated 0% to 17% effect on premature mortality, according to a study in the Annals of Family Medicine. Behavioral and social factors had a 16% to 65% impact on mortality.

Research published in the journal Circulation said increasing blood pressure treatment coverage by 70%, reducing sodium intake by 30% and eliminating trans fat consumption could prevent 94.3 million deaths globally by 2040. "Successful global implementation would require increased investment in health care capacity and quality of care in the primary health care sector, and increased efforts to reduce sodium and eliminate trans fat intake through regulation and health promotion campaigns as well," the authors wrote.

The House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing Wednesday to explore the proposed Medicare for All bill, and panel members were at odds with each other on how the government would fund the program, which is estimated to cost tens of trillions of dollars. During the hearing, Republicans warned that the proposal would harm seniors and children and result in longer wait times, reduced quality of care and higher health care costs for many Americans, while Democrats accused Republicans of using scare tactics to oppose any government effort to expand health care.

The FDA's Anesthetic and Analgesia Drug Products Advisory Committee and the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee started a two-day meeting to seek input from patients and health care experts on the clinical value and potential risks of higher opioid doses. The agency will use the feedback to determine whether higher opioid doses should be restricted or pulled from the market.

New research presented at the Supportive Care in Oncology Symposium, taking place Oct. 25-26, 2019 in San Francisco, can change how you practice medicine. ASCO, along with AAHPM and ASTRO, will reach across disciplines to discover new research and practice applications to deliver the highest standard of care to every patient. Submit an abstract today.

AAHPM and HPNA are offering a free opioid webinar on July 9 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. The webinar entitled "Pain Management and Opioids: Balancing Risks and Benefits" was developed by the Collaborative for REMS Education (CO*RE) and will offer 2.5 hrs of continuing education credit. Learn more and register.