Giving high doses of buprenorphine in the emergency department is a safe and effective way of treating withdrawal symptoms in patients battling opioid addiction, according to a new study. “Emergency departments are at the front lines of treating people with opioid use disorder and helping them overcome barriers to recovery such as withdrawal,” said Dr.…  read on >  read on >

What’s better — a long life or quality of life? New research suggests that people balance both when thinking about their desired life span, and fears of suffering dementia or chronic pain in old age tend to limit how long they want to live. “Dementia tops the list of conditions where people would prefer to…  read on >  read on >

If you’re not careful, your grilling season could go up in flames, an expert warns. Each year, U.S. fire departments respond to about 5,700 residential barbecue fires, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s U.S. Fire Administration. Those fires result in thousands of emergency department visits and $37 million in damages a year. “The best…  read on >  read on >

Pfizer Inc. announced on Friday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted priority review to its COVID-19 vaccine, positioning the vaccine for full approval by January. The Pfizer vaccine has been administered to more Americans than any other shot so far in the U.S. vaccination campaign. According to data from the U.S. Centers…  read on >  read on >

Pfizer Inc. has agreed to pay $345 million in a proposed settlement to resolve lawsuits over steep EpiPen price increases. EpiPens are auto-injectable devices that deliver the drug epinephrine for emergency treatment of a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. In 2016, a number of class-action lawsuits were filed against Pfizer and its subsidiaries Meridian Medical…  read on >  read on >