America’s opioid crisis is claiming the lives of more than 115 people every day, with a total economic burden on the nation of around $78.5bn per year.
Some of the lesser-known victims of this epidemic are new-born children. Thousands of infants are experiencing opioid withdrawal – neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) – which may lead to premature birth, seizures and even birth defects.
One of the doctors on the frontline is Dr Stephen Patrick, a neonatologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, which treats infants with various complications, conducts research on new treatments and works to shape local and national policy.
Read more here, at Apolitical (https://apolitical.co/): https://apolitical.co/solution_article/the-young-victims-of-the-opioid-crisis-15-born-every-minute-with-drug-withdrawal/