Trending News Today: CDC Report Finds Drastic Increase in Fentanyl Overdose Rates

A recent report from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics found fentanyl to be the most common drug involved in overdoses in the United States, according to CNN. The latest numbers from the report indicate that the rate of drug overdoses involving fentanyl increased by approximately 113% each year from 2013 through 2016. Overall, fentanyl was involved in nearly 29% of all overdose deaths in 2016 compared with only 4% of drug fatalities in 2011, the article reported.

On Wednesday, Kaleo announced that it will offer a cheaper generic version of its drug Evzio, an auto injector form of naloxone, The Hill reported. According to the article, a report from the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee Investigations last month found that the company increased the price of its drug by more than 600% between 2014 and 2017 to $4100 for 2 injectors. Kaleo will now offer Evzio for $178 for 2 injectors.

A recent study found that breastfeeding for 6 months or longer may be tied to a lower risk of liver disease, Reuters reported. Of the 844 women in the study, 32% reported nursing for up to 1 month, 25% said they breastfed for 1 to 6 months, and 43% reported nursing for longer. According to the article, approximately 6% of the women developed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by the end of the study and women who breastfed for at least 6 months were 52% less likely to develop liver disease than those who nursed for less than 1 month.