The inventor of Narcan, the nasal spray that can reverse an opioid overdose, said the decision by an Oklahoma judge to hold Johnson & Johnson responsible for fueling the state's opioid crisis is a major step in the nation's effort to combat the epidemic.
While the $570 million judgment was a fraction of the $17 billion requested by the state, Dr. Roger Crystal said that it illustrates "that the states are taking this crisis very seriously."
Narcan, which administers naloxone, blocks opioid receptor sites in a person's nervous system and can reverse the effects of an overdose — if administered quickly enough.
The nasal spray was first approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration in November 2015. Since then, the product has been used countless times to reverse overdoses from opioids, which include drugs such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, and illegal fentanyl, among others.
<i>The opioid epidemic in 2017 by the numbers. Credit: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services</i>
Each dose costs roughly $37, which, Crystal said is "totally appropriate" for a drug that can save a life. Still, roughly 130 people die everyday from opioid overdoses, according to government estimates.
The Johnson & Johnson decision is a "recognition of a serious opioid crisis," Crystal said, adding that opioids have "been the biggest killer of young Americans."
Crystal added, however, that while opioid manufacturers have "significantly contributed" to the crisis, addressing the issue will require a broader restructuring of how painkillers are prescribed and how doctors approach pain management.
Monday's court ruling also coincides with International Overdose Awareness Day, which is observed every year on August 31.
Cate Luzio, CEO and Founder of Luminary, joins ChedHER to discuss how Luminary is supporting women at all stages of their career journeys, and the upcoming Chase for Business Fellowship to support business owners.
In an effort to fight climate change several corporations have vowed to work to fight climate change by 2030. They say the goal is to reduce carbon emissions by 40% or even close to 100%. However, according to a new study, many of these companies are not actually practicing what they preach. Tom Egger, senior lecturer at Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin, joins Cheddar News to discuss more.
'Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy' dives into over 20 years of the icon himself, Kanye West. The trilogy is described as 'an intimate and revealing portrait of Kanye West's experience, showcasing both his formative days trying to break through and his life today as a global brand and artist.' Cheddar news sat down with directors of the documentary and long-time friends of Kanye, Chike Ozah and Clarence "Coodie" Simmons, to discuss the project.
The Super Bowl is only a few days away, and the game is currently tracking to be the most expensive one ever.
Gametime, a website and app for last-minute tickets, says the average ticket price for the NFL's championship game is $9,502.50, with the most expensive seats costing nearly $38,000. That's a far cry away from the average ticket price of the first-ever Super Bowl in 1967, which was only $12. The average ticket price increased by more than $8,000 in just the past decade. Matt Rados, Senior Operations Manager at Gametime, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
At-home medical labs company Getlabs raised $20 million in a Series A round, led by Emerson Collective and the Minderoo Foundation. Getlabs aims to be the boots-on-the-ground partner to telehealth. The company says more than 70% of medical decisions still require collecting diagnostic tests in person, and that it fills that void by delivering health care directly to their patients' homes. Founder & CEO of Getlabs Kyle Michelson joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Sting has sold his catalog of more than 600 songs for $300 million to Universal Music. The deal gives the label the rights to all of his work, including “Every Breath You Take," as well as all future royalties.
Miller Lite is opening the first branded bar in the metaverse, by way of Decentraland, as a way to advertise during the Super Bowl this year without buying an expensive TV commercial slot. Sofia Colucci, global vice president of Miller Family of Brands, joined Cheddar to talk about the new marketing concept. "We have a lot of great partnerships with NFL teams throughout the year but were shut out of advertising during the Super Bowl game, so this pushes us to think creatively and also think of what feels really relevant right now," Colucci said. "There's no question that there's a lot of excitement with the metaverse, and we wanted to participate but in a way that felt right for Miller Lite."
Kalle Marsal, Chief Operating Officer at PetDx, joins Cheddar Innovates to discuss how next-generation sequencing technology is being used to detect cancer in pets early.
