Diamorphine

The Senate Finance Committee hearing focused on addressing opioid and substance abuse disorders within Medicare, Medicaid, and Human Services programs. Key discussions included the need for bipartisan solutions to tackle the opioid epidemic, the importance of prevention, treatment, and recovery services, and the role of federal programs in supporting these efforts. Witnesses highlighted the staggering impact of opioid misuse, with over 60,000 Americans dying from drug overdoses in 2016, predominantly involving prescription opioids or illicit opioids like heroin or fentanyl. The hearing also emphasized the need for innovative policies, data-sharing, and evidence-based care to effectively combat the crisis. Additionally, the importance of Medicaid in providing treatment for opioid addiction was underscored, with calls for expanding access to medication-assisted treatment and naloxone to reverse overdoses. The hearing concluded with a commitment to continue working collaboratively across party lines to implement effective solutions to the opioid epidemic.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) restricts most pharmaceuticals from entering the brain, but drugs can be reengineered for BBB transport using endogenous carrier-mediated (CMT) and receptor-mediated (RMT) systems. Small molecules can utilize CMT, while large molecules, including proteins and radiopharmaceuticals, can be modified with molecular Trojan horses to access RMT systems, enabling brain delivery.