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| Trump declares health emergency over opioids but no new funds to help | |
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| Donald Trump has ordered the declaration of a public health emergency in response to the US’s escalating opioid epidemic. | |
| “This epidemic is a national health emergency,” Trump said in a speech at the White House. “As Americans we cannot allow this to continue.” | |
| But while the announcement that the president intends to “mobilise his entire administration” to combat the crisis will be seen as an important symbolic moment, there was swift criticism of the lack of new funds to deal with an epidemic claiming 100 lives or more a day. | But while the announcement that the president intends to “mobilise his entire administration” to combat the crisis will be seen as an important symbolic moment, there was swift criticism of the lack of new funds to deal with an epidemic claiming 100 lives or more a day. |
| Earlier this week a Drug Enforcement Administration report said that prescription drugs, mostly opioid painkillers, have been the single largest cause of overdose deaths since 2001, but the rising use of heroin and the synthetic opioid fentanyl has driven the cost in lives to new heights. | Earlier this week a Drug Enforcement Administration report said that prescription drugs, mostly opioid painkillers, have been the single largest cause of overdose deaths since 2001, but the rising use of heroin and the synthetic opioid fentanyl has driven the cost in lives to new heights. |
| Over the past six years overdose deaths have outnumbered those from guns, cars, suicide and murders. | Over the past six years overdose deaths have outnumbered those from guns, cars, suicide and murders. |
| Almost 100 people are dying every day across America from opioid overdoses – more than car crashes and shootings combined. The majority of these fatalities reveal widespread addiction to powerful prescription painkillers. The crisis unfolded in the mid-90s when the US pharmaceutical industry began marketing legal narcotics, particularly OxyContin, to treat everyday pain. This slow-release opioid was vigorously promoted to doctors and, amid lax regulation and slick sales tactics, people were assured it was safe. But the drug was akin to luxury morphine, doled out like super aspirin, and highly addictive. What resulted was a commercial triumph and a public health tragedy. Belated efforts to rein in distribution fueled a resurgence of heroin and the emergence of a deadly, black market version of the synthetic opioid fentanyl. The crisis is so deep because it affects all races, regions and incomes | Almost 100 people are dying every day across America from opioid overdoses – more than car crashes and shootings combined. The majority of these fatalities reveal widespread addiction to powerful prescription painkillers. The crisis unfolded in the mid-90s when the US pharmaceutical industry began marketing legal narcotics, particularly OxyContin, to treat everyday pain. This slow-release opioid was vigorously promoted to doctors and, amid lax regulation and slick sales tactics, people were assured it was safe. But the drug was akin to luxury morphine, doled out like super aspirin, and highly addictive. What resulted was a commercial triumph and a public health tragedy. Belated efforts to rein in distribution fueled a resurgence of heroin and the emergence of a deadly, black market version of the synthetic opioid fentanyl. The crisis is so deep because it affects all races, regions and incomes |
| New Jersey’s governor, Chris Christie, the chair of Trump’s opioid commission, commended the president for his “bold action” in adopting the commission’s recommendation to declare a health emergency, saying that it showed “an unprecedented commitment to fighting this epidemic” and that placing the weight of the presidency behind it would save lives. | New Jersey’s governor, Chris Christie, the chair of Trump’s opioid commission, commended the president for his “bold action” in adopting the commission’s recommendation to declare a health emergency, saying that it showed “an unprecedented commitment to fighting this epidemic” and that placing the weight of the presidency behind it would save lives. |
| But the nature of the declaration has raised further questions about the seriousness of that commitment. Trump sidestepped declaring a national emergency himself, which would have immediately unlocked billions of dollars of federal money from a disaster fund as happened in response to the recent wave of hurricanes to hit the US. | But the nature of the declaration has raised further questions about the seriousness of that commitment. Trump sidestepped declaring a national emergency himself, which would have immediately unlocked billions of dollars of federal money from a disaster fund as happened in response to the recent wave of hurricanes to hit the US. |
| State governments have been pressing for federal money to fund long-term treatment programmes to help the estimated two million Americans in need of help to shake drug dependency. | State governments have been pressing for federal money to fund long-term treatment programmes to help the estimated two million Americans in need of help to shake drug dependency. |
| Instead the president is ordering his acting health secretary, Eric Hargan, to declare a health emergency under legislation which allows the administration to “reorient resources” but will delay new money until Congress allocates it. | Instead the president is ordering his acting health secretary, Eric Hargan, to declare a health emergency under legislation which allows the administration to “reorient resources” but will delay new money until Congress allocates it. |
| While Christie pressed for urgent action, Trump’s former health secretary, Tom Price, opposed proclaiming a national emergency because of the cost. | While Christie pressed for urgent action, Trump’s former health secretary, Tom Price, opposed proclaiming a national emergency because of the cost. |
| The president caught his officials off guard in August when he said he would declare an emergency but then stalled. | The president caught his officials off guard in August when he said he would declare an emergency but then stalled. |
| A senior White House official said on Thursday that the crisis was an “urgent priority for the president” and that the declaration under the Health Service Act would help the administration direct additional resources toward some of the worst-hit areas, such as expanded access to telemedicine in rural areas of Appalachia where medical resources are limited. | A senior White House official said on Thursday that the crisis was an “urgent priority for the president” and that the declaration under the Health Service Act would help the administration direct additional resources toward some of the worst-hit areas, such as expanded access to telemedicine in rural areas of Appalachia where medical resources are limited. |
| It will also allow the administration to appoint specialists and address doctor shortages as well as direct some money used to treat HIV/Aids toward people within that programme who are also addicted to opioids. | It will also allow the administration to appoint specialists and address doctor shortages as well as direct some money used to treat HIV/Aids toward people within that programme who are also addicted to opioids. |
| Dr Andrew Kolodny, co-founder of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing, questioned whether the president’s declaration would make any major difference. | Dr Andrew Kolodny, co-founder of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing, questioned whether the president’s declaration would make any major difference. |
| “There’s no real plan. We’re not hearing a dollar amount. It’s very disappointing,” he said. “The problem is if you are going to declare a public health emergency you should at the same time be saying we’re going to be asking Congress to appropriate billions to tackle this public health emergency. That’s just not mentioned. I don’t see how that’s really going to have any impact at all. I think what’s clear is they don’t have a plan.” | “There’s no real plan. We’re not hearing a dollar amount. It’s very disappointing,” he said. “The problem is if you are going to declare a public health emergency you should at the same time be saying we’re going to be asking Congress to appropriate billions to tackle this public health emergency. That’s just not mentioned. I don’t see how that’s really going to have any impact at all. I think what’s clear is they don’t have a plan.” |
| Emily Walden, a leader of the activist group Fed Up whose son died of an opioid overdose, questioned whether the administration was serious about tackling the epidemic. | Emily Walden, a leader of the activist group Fed Up whose son died of an opioid overdose, questioned whether the administration was serious about tackling the epidemic. |
| “I think it’s good he’s going to declare it but if there’s no funding, that’s what the states are really struggling with, having the available treatment. I’m not sure what good is going to come of it unless people can get the help that they need,” she said. | “I think it’s good he’s going to declare it but if there’s no funding, that’s what the states are really struggling with, having the available treatment. I’m not sure what good is going to come of it unless people can get the help that they need,” she said. |
| Walden also said the administration had failed to sufficiently address the mass prescribing of opioid painkillers underpinning the epidemic. | Walden also said the administration had failed to sufficiently address the mass prescribing of opioid painkillers underpinning the epidemic. |
| “We have to address the root cause of this to prevent new addiction,” she said. “It’s very frustrating and upsetting. I’m not sure when they’re going to get it and with the influence that the pharmaceutical companies have over our government, it seems almost hopeless that this is going to change.” | “We have to address the root cause of this to prevent new addiction,” she said. “It’s very frustrating and upsetting. I’m not sure when they’re going to get it and with the influence that the pharmaceutical companies have over our government, it seems almost hopeless that this is going to change.” |
| The White House said it was having a “conversation with Congress” about new funding. It said that the administration had spent $1bn to deal with the crisis since Trump took office – although that money was allocated while Barack Obama was in power. | The White House said it was having a “conversation with Congress” about new funding. It said that the administration had spent $1bn to deal with the crisis since Trump took office – although that money was allocated while Barack Obama was in power. |
| Confidence in the administration to address the crisis has also been undermined by the president’s choice for drug czar, congressman Tom Marino, being forced to withdraw his nomination following revelations of his part in legislation to curb the Drug Enforcement Administration from taking action against distributors and pharmacies accused of irresponsibly dispensing opioids. | Confidence in the administration to address the crisis has also been undermined by the president’s choice for drug czar, congressman Tom Marino, being forced to withdraw his nomination following revelations of his part in legislation to curb the Drug Enforcement Administration from taking action against distributors and pharmacies accused of irresponsibly dispensing opioids. |
| Trump is also without a permanent health secretary after Price was forced to resign over his use of government charter flights for private use. The Commission on Combatting Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis is scheduled to release a more comprehensive set of recommendations to the president on Wednesday. | Trump is also without a permanent health secretary after Price was forced to resign over his use of government charter flights for private use. The Commission on Combatting Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis is scheduled to release a more comprehensive set of recommendations to the president on Wednesday. |
| The US attorney general, Jeff Sessions, will not have bolstered confidence in the administration’s strategy with comments ahead of the president’s announcement that the first step to combatting the epidemic should be for people to “say no” to drugs – advice similar to then first lady Nance Reagan’s campaign against crack in the 1980s. | The US attorney general, Jeff Sessions, will not have bolstered confidence in the administration’s strategy with comments ahead of the president’s announcement that the first step to combatting the epidemic should be for people to “say no” to drugs – advice similar to then first lady Nance Reagan’s campaign against crack in the 1980s. |
| “We’ve got to re-establish first the view that you should say no,” Sessions said. “People should say no to drug use. They have got to protect themselves first.” | “We’ve got to re-establish first the view that you should say no,” Sessions said. “People should say no to drug use. They have got to protect themselves first.” |
| He added that he had heard that many police chiefs believe that drug addiction “starts with marijuana”. | He added that he had heard that many police chiefs believe that drug addiction “starts with marijuana”. |
| In fact, the epidemic started with the mass prescribing of high-dosage opioid painkillers. | In fact, the epidemic started with the mass prescribing of high-dosage opioid painkillers. |