Addiction a Brain Disease, ASAM Says

August 31, 2011 — For the first time, the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) has officially recognized that addiction is not solely related to substance misuse and is, in fact, a chronic brain disease. "At its core, addiction isn't just a social problem or a moral problem or a criminal problem. It's a brain problem whose behaviors manifest in all these other areas," ASAM Past President Michael Miller, MD, said in a news release. "The disease is about brains, not drugs. It's about underlying neurology, not outward actions," added Dr. Miller, who oversaw the development of the new addiction definition. Findings from brain circuitry studies prompted more than 80 experts to come together 4 years ago to begin the process of developing a new definition of addiction.....read more...

Study Reveals Doctors Can Do More To Address Prescription Drug Abuse

As prescription drug abuse reaches epidemic proportions, a recent study reports disturbingly low monitoring rates for patients taking powerful prescription drugs. Only 8 percent of patients taking opioid pain medications are screened by their doctor. Fewer than half (49.8 percent) see their prescribing physician regularly. The study of practices in primary care settings was conducted by researchers at Yeshiva University in New York City and was published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine....read more...

3 Reasons why Drug Testing is important for you and your patients

The FDA has issued a number of warnings on prescription pain relievers in recent years but with little success. A federal survey conducted in 2007 found 5.2 million people in the US reported using prescription pain drugs inappropriately...read more...

2010 CMS Coding Changes Make Drug Testing Vital and Profitable

In the March 2010 issue of American Family Physician, an article by Drs Standbridge, Adams, and Zotos, all of the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, describes in detail the use and benefits of drug testing within a clinical setting. This article suggests consensus appeal of immunoassay for initial drug screening, followed by GCMS or LCMS confirmatory testing, including an extended Opiate panel to include the exact drugs being prescribed by the clinical practice..read more...

New Drug Choices—Are They Really Abuse-Proof?

CBS news reported on February 20, 2008 that “more than 33 million Americans have abused prescription pain killers.” Here’s the story on two new pain killers that were designed to prevent abuse...read more...

New Study Proves 4 Point Method Reduces Diversion

Now, a new study from the University of Michigan and the Ohio State University shows how doctors and their office staff are able to balance the need to write prescriptions for pain medications with the need to limit their liability for patient drug diversion....read more...

What a Difference Oral Fluids Testing Can Make!

Summit Diagnostics is proud to announce a new way to accomplish drug testing. Introduced for the first time in late October, Summit can now accept oral fluid samples for drug testing.....read more...

Prescribed Drug Diversion—On The Rise

The Tampa Tribune reported on June 16, 2009: “Four people pleaded guilty this morning to a conspiracy charge, admitting their role in a multi-state drug ring that obtained oxycodone through doctor shopping. The four joined eight others who previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess oxycodone with intent to distribute. The 12 defendants were among 19 arrested in February... The group is accused of operating an oxycodone trafficking ring through an auto-repair business …(They are) accused of paying "doctor...read more...

Drug testing - kind of like eating your vegetables. Not always popular

By now, many physician offices are aware of drug testing CPT code changes that are likely to be enacted 1/1/10. These changes are likely to impact how physicians can bill for point-of-care testing. The Washington G-2 Reports for Oct 2009 shows that the Point-of-Care testing reimbursement may go down substantially in January...read more...

Urine Drug Screening: A Valuable Office Procedure

Urine drug screening can enhance workplace safety, monitoring medication compliance, and detect drug abuse. Ordering and interpreting these test requires an understanding of testing modalities, detection times for specific drugs, and common explanations for false-positive and false-negative results…read more...

Urine Drug Screening: Practical Guide for Clinicians

Drug testing, commonly used in health care, workplace, and criminal settings, has become widespread during the past decade. Urine drug screens have been the most common method for analysis because of ease of sampling. The simplicity of use and access to rapid results have increased demand for and use of immunoassays; however, these assays are not perfect.…read more...

Doctor's Offices Can Help Stem Abuse Of Oxycontin, Other Narcotic Painkillers

Every day, thousands of doctors around the United States walk a tightrope stretched between their duty to help patients in pain -- and the risk of abetting illegal and life-destroying drug addiction and dependence, and losing their medical license for doing so…read more...

Practical Pain Management (Abstract)

The Federation of State Medical Boards expects physicians to incorporate safeguards into their practices to minimize the potential for the abuse and diversion of controlled substances.…read more...

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