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State Attorney General urges CDC to adopt stronger opioid prescription guidelines

K-State Research and Extension
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flickr.com

New York’s Attorney General wants the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to enact stronger opioid prescription guidelines. Specifically, AG Letita James wants there to be specific thresholds for assessing the risk of opioids.

Two of her proposals are telling prescribers to exercise caution when increasing an opioid dosage beyond 50 mg and to offer the overdose several drug naloxone to all patients taking 50 mg of opiates a day.

Additionally, James wants the CDC to encourage and ensure healthcare coverage of non-opioid related therapies. The CDC reports that opioid overdose deaths rose by nearly 20,000 last year. AG James has led a number of lawsuitsthat aim to hold opioid manufactures.

Katie Zilcosky is WAER’s All Things Considered host and features reporter. She also co-hosts WAER’s public affairs show Syracuse Speaks. As a reporter, she focuses on technology, economy, and identity.