Vaping mystery continues

A couple of weeks ago we told you about a mysterious spate of people going to the ER with some sort of vaping-related condition. Health officials don’t know what it is — vaping itself, some common ingredient nationwide, THC oil, or something else.

Update: The first death from vaping has been reported in Illinois of a “mysterious lung illness linked to vaping.”

In Georgia, Georgia’s public health officials are also looking into it. DPH “has requested that health care providers ask patients with severe respiratory illness whether they have used devices for vaping nicotine and/or THC.” If they have, they need to contact the Georgia Poison Center at (800) 222-1222 or (404) 616-9000.

And this is interesting: Four years ago, doctors at West Virginia University described “acute lipoid pneumonia” occurring because of vaping. Little did they know that it was to be the first of many cases.

Don’t forget: CE at the Braves!

Join the Georgia Pharmacy Association for an afternoon at the Atlanta Braves — the last home game of the season, in fact. We’re offering a one-hour CPE program before the game: “Put Me In, Coach: The Pharmacist’s Role in Sports Medicine.”

The game is Sunday, September 22, 2019. The CE starts at noon; the game begins at 1:20 p.m. It’s a mere $42.00 for GPhA members, which includes CPE and a ticket to the game. (Want to come for the game only? That’s $38.00.)

Check out GPhA.org/braves for more!

Good news in Georgia’s latest opioid stats

Georgia is seeing signs that the prescription opioid epidemic might be waning in the state, with opioid scripts dropping by 13 percent between 2016 and 2018.

The better news is that opioid-related deaths dropped by almost the same amount (12 percent). That seems to indicate that people are not simply turning to street drugs, but are actually quitting their painkillers.

CDC announces flu vaccine guidelines

For the upcoming 2019-20 flu season, the CDC has its list of recommendations. Check them out in detail, but here are the basics:

Offer vaccination by the end of October and keep going throughout the season.

Children (6 months to 8 years) get two doses — the first dose should be given ASAP so they can receive the second dose, which must be given at least 4 weeks later, by the end of October.

The CDC gives no preference to either quadrivalent or trivalent vaccines.

The CDC gives no preference for recombinant vaccines or ‘standard’ vaccines.

Give preference to the following groups if vaccine supplies become limited:

  • People under 5 years old or over 50
  • Adults and children who have chronic pulmonary (including asthma), cardiovascular (excluding isolated hypertension), renal, hepatic, neurologic, hematologic, or metabolic disorders (including diabetes mellitus);
  • People who are immunocompromised due to any cause;
  • Women who are or will be pregnant during the influenza season;
  • Children and adolescents (aged 6 months through 18 years) who might be at risk for Reye syndrome after being infected by the flu;
  • Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities;
  • American Indians/Alaska Natives; and
  • Extremely obese people (with a BMI ≥40).

The long read: The meds no one can afford

“The $6 Million Drug Claim”

Elsewhere: Headache edition

If you have a patient with a headache that hasn’t gone away in 30 years, perhaps there’s a worm involved.