BASC maintains position as leader in outpatient surgeries
Bedford Ambulatory Surgical Center (BASC) has added a powerful new tool to its orthopedic suite: endoscopic spine surgery.
New pharma settlement promises more funding for drug programs
Another national settlement with opioid manufacturers is poised to infuse Granite State drug prevention, treatment and recovery programs with a new wave of funding, the NH Attorney General’s Office announced Thursday, July 10.
New Hampshire will receive about $4.5 million over the next decade from eight companies accused of worsening the opioid crisis, a news release from the agency said.
The startling wave of deaths associated with the opioid crisis led to several national lawsuits against drug companies.
“This latest settlement is another important step in holding opioid manufacturers accountable for the devastation they’ve caused in New Hampshire and across the country,” NH Attorney General John Formella said in a statement. “These funds will help us continue to invest in treatment, prevention, and recovery efforts that save lives and strengthen communities right here in the Granite State.”
The companies are also banned from promoting or marketing opioids or opioid products and are required to implement monitoring and reporting systems for suspicious orders, according to the AG’s Office.
The settlement comes on the heels of an agreement with Purdue Pharma last month that could see the state receive more than $30 million over the next 10 years.
In total, opioid settlements have brought in more than $97.4 million for New Hampshire so far, according to the AG’s Office. The state has awarded $70.9 million of that as grants to support prevention, treatment and recovery programs, the release said.
The remaining $14.4 has been distributed to counties, cities and towns, including Keene.
The funding Keene has received from the settlements pays for the Keene Police Department’s social worker position, according to city manager Elizabeth Ferland.
Opioids contribute to the vast majority of drug deaths in New Hampshire. Those deaths peaked in 2017 with at least 490 people dying and remained high through 2023 before ticking down sharply to 287 last year, according to data from the chief medical examiner.
