opioid crisis

September 14, 2022

Complementary research, resources, policies improve outcomes for those with substance use disorders: panel

A panel of experts on opioid use disorder (OUD) recently discussed the importance of building recovery ecosystems or networks of resources to respond to the opioid epidemic.

By Jill Clendening
May 23, 2022

Pushing (anti-overdose) drugs

An automated alert to encourage clinicians to coprescribe naloxone for patients at risk of opioid overdose increased naloxone prescriptions per opioid prescription 16-fold.

By Paul Govern
October 19, 2021

Artificial intelligence predicts opioid overdose in Tennessee

Researchers at Vanderbilt and the Tennessee Department of Health have developed 30-day predictive models for fatal and non-fatal opioid-related overdose among patients receiving opioid prescriptions in the state.

By Paul Govern
October 13, 2021

Study shows link between neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome and foster care entry

Vanderbilt research has revealed the close relationship between neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome and the number of infants entering foster care.

By Jill Clendening
August 12, 2021

VUMC expands programming in effort to help pregnant and postpartum women, infants in opioid crisis

A newly created program at Vanderbilt University Medical Center is aiming to address the increasing toll the opioid crisis is having on pregnant and postpartum women and their infants.

By Jessica Pasley
January 12, 2021

Study shows drastic increases in opioid-affected births

The rate of mothers who had an opioid-related diagnosis when delivering their baby increased by 131% from 2010-2017, as the incidence of babies diagnosed with drug withdrawal, known as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), increased by 82% nationally during that same time period.

By Craig Boerner
August 24, 2020

Land of plenty (of opioids)

Surgical patients are being given more opioids than they need for postsurgical pain management, raising the risk of addiction.
By Paul Govern
June 9, 2020

Opioid prescriptions after childbirth linked to increased risk of overdose, persistent use

Women who are prescribed opioids after childbirth have an increased risk of persistent opioid use or other serious opioid-related events, including overdose, in their first year postpartum, according to a new study by Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers. This is true regardless of whether the woman had a vaginal delivery or a cesarean section.
By Kelsey Herbers
May 18, 2020

Women in criminal justice system less likely to receive evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder

Pregnant women involved in the criminal justice system are disproportionately not receiving medications for opioid use disorder, as compared to their peers, according to a Vanderbilt-led study published today in PLOS Medicine.
By Jake Lowary
May 12, 2020

Study finds newborn opioid withdrawal rates show evidence of stabilizing

Rates of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) have plateaued after 20 years of increasing frequency across the country, according to a new study published in Health Affairs. NAS is a withdrawal syndrome experienced by some opioid-exposed newborns after birth.
By VUMC News and Communications
April 22, 2020

Safeguarding opioids a concern as children may have more access with families at home due to COVID-19

A new poll from the Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy found that few Tennessee parents take steps to safeguard opioids at home, an important concern when children are spending more time indoors due to COVID-19 social distancing recommendations.
By Jake Lowary
February 24, 2020

Reducing postoperative opioids

An opioid-restrictive prescribing protocol reduced the number of postoperative opioid prescriptions and the oral morphine equivalent per prescription.
By Leigh MacMillan
December 20, 2019

Tennessee Receives Grant from Federal Government to Address Opioid Crisis

The Division of TennCare will partner with VUMC as part of the MOM program focusing on 26 rural and urban counties to improve the outcomes for women with opioid use disorder and their infants.
By Holly Fletcher
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