Governor Roy Cooper announced today that North Carolina is strengthening its fight against the opioid epidemic by expanding the number of pharmacies participating in the Controlled Substance Reporting System. North Carolina is also activating a digital gateway to provide pharmacists and prescribers one-click access to patient information and data to identify those at risk for prescription drug addiction, overdose and death.
Press Releases
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today released an analysis of four categories of birth defects in Bladen, Brunswick, Cumberland, New Hanover and Pender counties from 2003-2014 using data from the North Carolina Birth Defects Monitoring Program. The analysis was done to address concerns raised during the state’s ongoing investigation into GenX and other per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also referred to as PFAS.
North Carolina’s infant mortality rate decreased to 7.1 deaths per 1,000 births, compared with a 2016 rate of 7.2 and a 2015 rate of 7.3, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' 2017 infant mortality rates. While the racial disparity between birth outcomes for white infants and African-American infants remains unacceptably high, there was a reduction in the gap in birth outcomes.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed the first death related to an ongoing outbreak of hepatitis A affecting parts of North Carolina. The death occurred in October. To protect the privacy of the family, additional details about the case are not being released.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced that it has received results from blood and urine samples of 30 people living near Chemours’ Fayetteville Works facility who rely on well water and were evaluated for the presence of GenX and 16 other per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also referred to as PFAS.
North Carolina will receive $27 million over the next year to fight the state's opioid epidemic by getting people off opioids and preventing others from misusing them, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. Grants include $23 million from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and $4 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will administer both grants.
Due to the increased populations of mosquitoes caused by flooding from Hurricane Florence, Governor Roy Cooper ordered $4 million to fund mosquito control efforts in counties currently under a major disaster declaration.
As North Carolinians begin to clean up debris and building interiors that may have been exposed to flooding or standing water caused by Hurricane Florence, state health officials are cautioning them to be mindful of the hazards associated with mold and other contaminants that may be present inside homes and other buildings.
As flooding continues in parts of North Carolina and recedes in others, public health officials are recommending caution, particularly while people return to their homes in some areas to start the process of debris removal and cleanup in the wake of Hurricane Florence.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Florence, officials with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services are encouraging nurses, physicians, behavioral health professionals and others interested in volunteering to help people impacted by the storm to get connected with the appropriate resources and organizations