Remembering Aurelio Costarella
Today, we received the unfortunate news that we must say goodbye to Aurelio Costarella. A gifted designer, visionary artist, and committed activist, he was also a generous supporter of our mission and a friend to…
Call to Action: Tell Your Story in the Media
Benzodiazepine physical dependence is a serious issue, and for many, difficulty accessing a prescription—especially without a safe taper—can be life-altering. Unfortunately, this is becoming more common as providers retire, pass away, change office policies, or…
Media Interview Opportunity: Patients Who Lost Access to Medication
A major media outlet is seeking to interview U.S. patients who suddenly lost access to their prescribed benzodiazepines, making safe tapering impossible. This could be due to reasons like your doctor retiring, passing away, or…
Dr. Christy Huff’s Story Is in the Wall Street Journal
Dr. Huff’s story is being told for the first time, as she requested, in the comprehensive Wall Street Journal article, “Generation Xanax: The Dark Side of America’s Wonder Drug,” by Shalini Ramachandran and Betsy McKay. This is…
In Memory of Dr. Christy Huff: One Year Later
A year ago today, we received the devastating news that our beloved medical director, Dr. Christy Huff, had passed away. While heartbreaking, it wasn’t unexpected—Christy had been trapped in an intense setback for months. Tragically,…
New ASAM Joint Clinical Practice Guideline on Benzodiazepine Tapering Now Available
The ASAM Joint Clinical Practice Guideline on Benzodiazepine Tapering is now available. Some of us at BIC, including the late Dr. Christy Huff, served voluntarily on the Patients with Lived Experience (PWLE) panel (see our names on page…
Increased Risk of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Patients Receiving Sedative-Hypnotics: A Propensity Score Weighting Cohort Study
A new study, Increased Risk of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Patients Receiving Sedative-Hypnotics: A Propensity Score Weighting Cohort Study, by Yang HW and colleagues explores a possible link between benzodiazepine receptor agonists (BZRA) and…
Risk of suicide attempts and intentional self-harm on alprazolam
A large-scale exposure-only within-subject time-to-event pharmacoepidemiologic study led by Robert D. Gibbons and Kwan Hur of the University of Chicago, alongside Jill E. Lavigne and J. John Mann of Columbia University, has confirmed alarming links…