National media outlets, including The New York Times and CNN, highlighted new research from the University of Michigan Health System that shows about one baby born every hour is addicted to opiate drugs.
The study, headed by Stephen W. Patrick, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., and a fellow in U-M’s Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, found that the diagnosis of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), a drug withdrawal syndrome among newborns, almost tripled between 2000 and 2009.
The study suggests that the increase in NAS stems from a spike in the use of opiate pain killers.
"There has been an incredible increase in the number of opiate pain relievers prescribed in the U.S.," Patrick told CNN.com "We think that might be part of the increase we are seeing."
For more, please visit The New York Times, CNN.com, The Associated Press, USA Today and The Detroit Free Press.
