NeuroBreak: Politics of Pain; Pot for Autism

Opioid drugmakers worked hard to kill state measures that aimed to curb opioid use, according to a two-part investigation by the Associated Press and the Center for Public Integrity.

Companies employed lobbyists in all 50 states and spent millions on campaign contributions to block anti-opioid measures. At the same time, a coalition of drugmakers and industry-backed

advocacy groups pushed messages about the importance of painkillers at the federal level.

Forbes' Matt Herper details the internal FDA politics behind yesterday's approval of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy drug eteplirsen (Exondys 51). One opponent of the drug's approval quit

the agency and another formally protested CDER head Janet Woodcock's decision; FDA Commissioner Robert Califf refused to intercede.

Alzforum's foray into clickbait: "Gamma-Secretase Gives Up Secrets About its Cleavage."

These families are treating their children's autism with marijuana. (Spectrum News)

Only five growers were approved for New York's medical marijuana program, and one is already in financial trouble. (Politico New York)

The Obama administration is awarding $4.7 million in telemedicine and distance learning grants -- including seven grants to help rural hospitals connect to larger healthcare facilities to

provide diagnosis and treatment services for substance use disorders.

An analysis of data from 23andMe shows that a certain gene variant is tied to a higher likelihood of bupropion being ineffective for depression. (Translational Psychiatry)