Nursing home capacity down nationwide; harm reduction vending machines; ‘no clear evidence’ for cannabis in neuropathic pain – Morning Medical Update

Nursing home capacity down nationwide

U.S. nursing home capacity has declined since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with rural communities hit the hardest, according to a new study from the University of Rochester Medical Center published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Researchers found that operating capacity across nearly 16,000 skilled nursing facilities fell by 5% between 2019 and 2024 — about 4,000 fewer beds available for new patients each day — with one-quarter of U.S. counties seeing drops of 15% or more. The decline, linked to staffing shortages, was associated with longer hospital stays and patients being discharged to facilities farther from home, raising concerns about access to post-acute care as the population continues to age.

Harm reduction vending machines: Are they working?

Harm reduction vending machines placed across New York State are being widely used and are expanding access to naloxone and drug test strips for people at high risk of overdose, according to two new studies led by researchers at the University at Buffalo. Evaluating machines operated by the “MATTERS Network” — that is, Medication for Addiction Treatment and Electronic Referrals — investigators found more than 13,600 harm reduction supplies dispensed over 14 months, nearly half outside of normal business hours — the value of 24/7, low-barrier access.

The findings are published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine and the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice and suggest vending machines can complement traditional outreach by reaching individuals who may avoid in-person or mail-based services.

New review finds “no clear evidence” for cannabis in neuropathic pain

There is no clear evidence that cannabis-based medicines provide meaningful pain relief for adults with chronic neuropathic pain, according to an updated systematic review from Cochrane. Across 21 randomized trials involving more than 2,100 patients, authors found no high-quality evidence that THC-dominant, CBD-dominant or balanced THC/CBD products reduced pain more than placebo over two to 26 weeks. Small improvements seen with some THC/CBD products were not clinically meaningful, and THC-containing therapies were linked to dizziness, drowsiness and higher withdrawal rates. The authors concluded that better-designed, longer-duration trials are needed before cannabis-based medicines can be recommended for chronic neuropathic pain.