How the makers of Vivitrol lobbied for abstinence, and against methadone and bupe

[francie_d]

I thought this story was just incredible, how the reporters connected the dots between lobbying by Alkermes, the company that makes Vivitrol, and state laws promoting opioid abstinence and barriers for buprenorphine prescribers: http://www.npr.org/sections/health-...n-the-opioid-epidemic-one-state-law-at-a-time Here's the nut graf:

An investigation by NPR and Side Effects Public Media has found that in statehouses across the country, and in Congress, Alkermes is pushing Vivitrol while contributing to misconceptions and stigma about other medications used to treat opioid addiction.


While policymakers are grasping for solutions to the nation's opioid epidemic, Alkermes, which has its U.S. headquarters in Waltham, Mass., is using policy to promote its drug and, in some cases, hamper access to medications that can help. And in so doing, it's looking to turn its drug into a blockbuster.

 

[Jabberwocky]

You are awesome francie! Thank you for that