Latest news with #Sackler
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
National treasure returned home after 79 years of drifting -- under China-U.S. joint escort
BEIJING, May 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report by on the homecoming of Chinese cultural relics: Ten days ago, a commercial flight from Washington D.C. touched down at the Beijing Capital International Airport in the quiet hours before dawn. The flight carried China's long-lost national treasure — two volumes of the ancient Zidanku Silk Manuscripts. That moment, after 79 years adrift overseas, the precious artifacts finally returned home. In Chinese, silk or satin-based textiles are generically termed "bo." Before the invention of paper, ancient Chinese wrote classical texts on silk, known as "bo shu," or silk manuscripts. The Zidanku Silk Manuscripts are to date the oldest examples of such ancient texts unearthed in China, dating back over 2,300 years. Richly illustrated and paired with explanatory texts, the manuscripts explore the origins of the four seasons and twelve months, the taboos and auspicious practices at different times, as well as military strategies for offense and defense in war. The invaluable texts were illicitly excavated from a Chu-state tomb in 1942, at the Zidanku site in Changsha, Hunan Province. They eventually fell into the hands of Cai Jixiang, a Chinese antiques collector. But several years later, John Hadley Cox, an American, coaxed Cai into giving the silk manuscripts to him under the guise of photographing the manuscripts using infrared devices to decipher the faded text. Exploiting Cai's trust, Cox never returned the silk manuscripts, and instead smuggled them to the U.S. Since then, the national treasure has been separated from its homeland. The long journey home has crystallized efforts of many. The Zidanku Silk Manuscripts consist of three volumes. After being illicitly brought to the U.S., "Sishi Ling," the first volume, was purchased by Dr. Sackler in 1966. A doctor and art collector with a deep affection for China, Dr. Sackler fully recognized the significance of the silk manuscripts, and believed artifacts of such gravity should not be kept outside of their country of origin. In 1986, ground was bro ken for the Arthur M. Sackler Museum of Art and Archaeology at Peking University, a project that Dr. Sackler funded. He planned to return the Zidanku Silk Manuscripts to China upon the museum's completion. Unfortunately, Dr. Sackler passed away the following year, before his wish could be fulfilled. As for the second and third volumes, "Wuxing Ling" and "Gongshou Zhan," their whereabouts were unknown at the time. Li Ling, a chair professor at Peking University, began researching the Zidanku Silk Manuscripts in 1980. For 45 years, he has dedicated himself to tracing every stage of the artifacts' journey since excavation. With the help of scholars including Professor Donald Harper from the University of Chicago, Li traced exhaustively the "footprints" of the silk manuscripts in the U.S. It turned out that the two missing volumes were stored in a shoebox by John Hadley Cox, and were kept in Washington D.C. until 1992, when Cox donated them anonymously to the National Museum of Asian Art. Professor Donald Harper, based in the U.S. at the time, connected with members of John Hadley Cox's family. In 2024, Harper handed over a crucial piece of evidence to China — the lid of the shoebox that once held the silk manuscripts, donated by Cox's granddaughter. The lid clearly logged the manuscripts' several transfers after arriving in the U.S. While scholars like Li Ling and Donald Harper worked tirelessly on the silk manuscripts, the Smithsonian Institution in the U.S. issued a policy on the ethical return of all cultural artifacts acquired through improper means. Buttressed by the solid and complete chain of evidence, China officially launched its recovery of the second and third volumes of the Zidanku Silk Manuscripts. Following over a year of extensive consultation and negotiation, the scene we showed at the beginning finally materialized. The success also gives us confidence that the return of "Sishi Ling," the first volume, is not far behind. Since China and the U.S. signed their first MoU in 2009 to prevent illegal importation of Chinese cultural artifacts into the United States, it is believed, almost 600 items or sets of lost cultural relics have been repatriated to China. Li Ling, who has devoted decades of his life to researching silk manuscripts, said that the retrieval of the Zidanku Silk Manuscripts would have been impossible through his efforts alone. It is the joint efforts of both Chinese and American scholars, and the cooperation between the two countries to help lost cultural artifacts return to their countries of origin, that allowed these national treasures to come home. Through the plexiglass encasing the artifacts, one can still see the faintly discernible writing on the remains of the now-brown Zidanku Silk Manuscript fragments, offering a peek into ancient reflections on the universe and life from two millennia ago. Their 79-year journey home also reflects the spirit of equal dialogue and cooperation between China and the United States; it is a microcosm of people's wisdom and experience in guarding the fruits of human civilization beyond national borders. China Mosaic View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Overdose deaths see largest one-year decline ever: Here's why
The Brief CDC reports 80,000 US overdose deaths in 2024, down from 110,000 the year prior. It's the largest annual decline in overdose deaths since tracking began 45 years ago. Experts point to expanded naloxone access, treatment, and opioid settlement funds as possible factors. LOS ANGELES - The United States recorded 30,000 fewer drug overdose deaths in 2024 compared to the year before, according to newly released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — marking the biggest one-year decline in over four decades of tracking. The CDC estimates 80,000 people died of overdoses last year, down 27% from 110,000 deaths in 2023. That drop is unprecedented in scale; the previous largest decline was just 4% in 2018. Big picture view Health officials and researchers aren't certain what caused the sharp drop, but several developments are believed to have played a role. These include: Wider access to naloxone, the overdose-reversing drug, now available over-the-counter. Expanded addiction treatment programs. Changes in drug use patterns. A growing public awareness and response from grieving families and communities. Significant investments from opioid lawsuit settlements now being used to fund prevention, harm reduction, and recovery efforts. "It's clear we've made progress, but we're still losing too many people," the CDC said in a statement, noting that overdoses remain the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 44. Local perspective Nearly every state saw a drop in overdose deaths in 2024. Ohio, West Virginia, and other long-suffering states reported some of the steepest improvements. Only two states — Nevada and South Dakota — saw slight increases. In New York, final numbers are still being processed, but provisional data shows the state following the national trend with a significant decrease. The city and state have ramped up naloxone distribution, safe-use programs, and community outreach in recent years. What's next Billions of dollars from opioid lawsuit settlements are now beginning to make their way into communities. The money, paid by drugmakers, distributors, and pharmacy chains, is earmarked for addiction services and overdose prevention. A major upcoming settlement — involving up to $7 billion from Purdue Pharma's owners, the Sackler family — could bring even more resources. But how states spend the money remains a key issue. "States can either say, 'We won, we can walk away,' or they can stay the course," said Regina LaBelle of Georgetown University, who previously served as acting director of the White House drug policy office. The other side Despite the positive numbers, some public health experts worry that recent moves by the Trump administration could undercut long-term progress. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended staffing cuts and program overhauls during a Wednesday hearing, but lawmakers questioned whether the changes would slow momentum. "Now is not the time to take the foot off the gas pedal," warned Dr. Daniel Ciccarone of UCSF. U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, challenged Kennedy, asking "why the hell" the administration is cutting funding when the recent decline proves that public health investments were "getting us somewhere." What they're saying "I will tell you that if you are successful in banning fluoride … we better put a lot more money into dental education," said Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho in the same hearing — illustrating growing concerns that shifts in health policy could have ripple effects. Advocates say community action has helped move the needle. "We believe that taking a public health approach that seeks to support — not punish — people who use drugs is crucial to ending the overdose crisis," said Dr. Tamara Olt, who lost her 16-year-old son to a heroin overdose in 2012 and now leads the group Broken No Moore. Kimberly Douglas, whose 17-year-old son died in 2023, credited the growing movement of parents and advocates. "Eventually people are going to start listening," she said. "Unfortunately, it's taken 10-plus years." The Source This report is based on data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and reporting from the Associated Press. Additional insights were provided by health experts, members of Congress, and advocacy organizations during public hearings and interviews.
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
US overdose deaths fell 27% last year, the largest one-year decline ever seen
New York: There were 30,000 fewer U.S. drug overdose deaths in 2024 than the year before - the largest one-year decline ever recorded. An estimated 80,000 people died from overdoses last year, according to provisional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data released Wednesday. That's down 27 per cent from the 110,000 in 2023. The CDC has been collecting comparable data for 45 years. The previous largest one-year drop was 4 per cent in 2018, according to the agency's National Center for Health Statistics. All but two states saw declines last year, with Nevada and South Dakota experiencing small increases. Some of the biggest drops were in Ohio, West Virginia and other states that have been hard-hit in the nation's decades-long overdose epidemic. Experts say more research needs to be done to understand what drove the reduction, but they mention several possible factors. Among the most cited: - Increased availability of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone. - Expanded addiction treatment. - Shifts in how people use drugs. - The growing impact of billions of dollars in opioid lawsuit settlement money. - The number of at-risk Americans is shrinking, after waves of deaths in older adults and a shift in teens and younger adults away from the drugs that cause most deaths. Still, annual overdose deaths are higher than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement, the CDC noted that overdoses are still the leading cause of death for people 18-44 years old, "underscoring the need for ongoing efforts to maintain this progress." Some experts worry that the recent decline could be slowed or stopped by reductions in federal funding and the public health workforce, or a shift away from the strategies that seem to be working. "Now is not the time to take the foot off the gas pedal," said Dr. Daniel Ciccarone, a drug policy expert at the University of California, San Francisco. The provisional numbers are estimates of everyone who died of overdoses in the U.S., including noncitizens. That data is still being processed, and the final numbers can sometimes differ a bit. But it's clear that there was a huge drop last year. Experts note that there have been past moments when U.S. overdose deaths seemed to have plateaued or even started to go down, only to rise again. That happened in 2018. But there are reasons to be optimistic. Naloxone has become more widely available, in part because of the introduction of over-the-counter versions that don't require prescriptions. Meanwhile, drug manufacturers, distributors, pharmacy chains and other businesses have settled lawsuits with state and local governments over the painkillers that were a main driver of overdose deaths in the past. The deals over the last decade or so have promised about $50 billion over time, with most of it required to be used to fight addiction. Another settlement that would be among the largest, with members of the Sackler family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma agreeing to pay up to $7 billion, could be approved this year. The money, along with federal taxpayer funding, is going to a variety of programs, including supportive housing and harm reduction efforts, such as providing materials to test drugs for fentanyl, the biggest driver of overdoses now. But what each state will do with that money is currently at issue. "States can either say, 'We won, we can walk away'" in the wake of the declines or they can use the lawsuit money on naloxone and other efforts, said Regina LaBelle, a former acting director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. She now heads an addiction and public policy program at Georgetown University. President Donald Trump's administration views opioids as largely a law enforcement issue and as a reason to step up border security. It also has been reorganizing and downsizing federal health agencies. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said overdose prevention efforts will continue, but some public health experts say cuts mean the work will not go on at the same level. U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean, a Pennsylvania Democrat, asked Kennedy at a Wednesday hearing "why the hell" those changes are being made when the steep drop in deaths showed "we were getting somewhere." Some advocates made a similar point in a call with reporters last week. "We believe that taking a public health approach that seeks to support - not punish - people who use drugs is crucial to ending the overdose crisis," said Dr. Tamara Olt, an Illinois woman whose 16-year-old son died of a heroin overdose in 2012. She is now executive director of Broken No Moore, an advocacy organization focused on substance use disorder. Olt attributes recent declines to the growing availability of naloxone, work to make treatment available, and wider awareness of the problem. Kimberly Douglas, an Illinois woman whose 17-year-old son died of an overdose in 2023, credited the growing chorus of grieving mothers. "Eventually people are going to start listening," she said. "Unfortunately, it's taken 10-plus years."
Fast Company
14-05-2025
- Health
- Fast Company
Overdose deaths fell 27% in 2024— the largest one-year decline ever
There were 30,000 fewer U.S. drug overdose deaths in 2024 than the year before — the largest one-year decline ever recorded. An estimated 80,000 people died from overdoses last year, according to provisional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data released Wednesday. That's down 27% from the 110,000 in 2023. The CDC has been collecting comparable data for 45 years. The previous largest one-year drop was 4% in 2018, according to the agency's National Center for Health Statistics. All but two states saw declines last year, with Nevada and South Dakota experiencing small increases. Some of the biggest drops were in Ohio, West Virginia and other states that have been hard-hit in the nation's decades-long overdose epidemic. Experts say more research needs to be done to understand what drove the reduction, but they mention several possible factors. Among the most cited: — Increased availability of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone. — Expanded addiction treatment. — Shifts in how people use drugs. — The growing impact of billions of dollars in opioid lawsuit settlement money. — The number of at-risk Americans is shrinking, after waves of deaths in older adults and a shift in teens and younger adults away from the drugs that cause most deaths. Still, annual overdose deaths are higher than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement, the CDC noted that overdoses are still the leading cause of death for people 18-44 years old, 'underscoring the need for ongoing efforts to maintain this progress.' Some experts worry that the recent decline could be slowed or stopped by reductions in federal funding and the public health workforce, or a shift away from the strategies that seem to be working. 'Now is not the time to take the foot off the gas pedal,' said Dr. Daniel Ciccarone, a drug policy expert at the University of California, San Francisco. The provisional numbers are estimates of everyone who died of overdoses in the U.S., including noncitizens. That data is still being processed, and the final numbers can sometimes differ a bit. But it's clear that there was a huge drop last year. Experts note that there have been past moments when U.S. overdose deaths seemed to have plateaued or even started to go down, only to rise again. That happened in 2018. But there are reasons to be optimistic. Naloxone has become more widely available, in part because of the introduction of over-the-counter versions that don't require prescriptions. Meanwhile, drug manufacturers, distributors, pharmacy chains and other businesses have settled lawsuits with state and local governments over the painkillers that were a main driver of overdose deaths in the past. The deals over the last decade or so have promised about $50 billion over time, with most of it required to be used to fight addiction. Another settlement that would be among the largest, with members of the Sackler family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma agreeing to pay up to $7 billion, could be approved this year. The money, along with federal taxpayer funding, is going to a variety of programs, including supportive housing and harm reduction efforts, such as providing materials to test drugs for fentanyl, the biggest driver of overdoses now. But what each state will do with that money is currently at issue. 'States can either say, 'We won, we can walk away'' in the wake of the declines or they can use the lawsuit money on naloxone and other efforts, said Regina LaBelle, a former acting director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. She now heads an addiction and public policy program at Georgetown University. President Donald Trump's administration views opioids as largely a law enforcement issue and as a reason to step up border security. That worries many public health leaders and advocates. 'We believe that taking a public health approach that seeks to support — not punish — people who use drugs is crucial to ending the overdose crisis,' said Dr. Tamara Olt, an Illinois woman whose 16-year-old son died of a heroin overdose in 2012. She is now executive director of Broken No Moore, an advocacy organization focused on substance use disorder. Olt attributes recent declines to the growing availability of naloxone, work to make treatment available, and wider awareness of the problem. Kimberly Douglas, an Illinois woman whose 17-year-old son died of an overdose in 2023, credited the growing chorus of grieving mothers. 'Eventually people are going to start listening. Unfortunately, it's taken 10-plus years.'
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
US overdose deaths fell 27% last year, the largest one-year decline ever seen
There were 30,000 fewer U.S. drug overdose deaths in 2024 than the year before — the largest one-year decline ever recorded. An estimated 80,000 people died from overdoses last year, according to provisional Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data released Wednesday. That's down 27% from the 110,000 in 2023. The CDC has been collecting comparable data for 45 years. The previous largest one-year drop was 4% in 2018, according to the agency's National Center for Health Statistics. All but two states saw declines last year, with Nevada and South Dakota seeing small increases. Some of the biggest drops were in Ohio, West Virginia and other states that have been hard-hit in the nation's decades-long overdose epidemic. Experts say more research needs to be done to understand what drove the reduction, but they mention several possible factors. Among the most cited: — Increased availability of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone. — Expanded addiction treatment. — Shifts in how people use drugs. — The growing impact of billions of dollars in opioid lawsuit settlement money. — The number of at-risk Americans is shrinking, after waves of deaths in older adults and a shift in teens and younger adults away from the drugs that cause most deaths. Still, annual overdose deaths are higher than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement, the CDC noted that overdoses are still the leading cause of death for people 18-44 years old, 'underscoring the need for ongoing efforts to maintain this progress.' Some experts worry that the recent decline could be slowed or stopped by reductions in federal funding and the public health workforce, or a shift away from the strategies that seem to be working. 'Now is not the time to take the foot off the gas pedal,' said Dr. Daniel Ciccarone, a drug policy expert at the University of California, San Francisco. The provisional numbers are estimates of everyone who died of overdoses in the U.S., including noncitizens. That data is still being processed, and the final numbers can sometimes differ a bit. But it's clear that there was a huge drop last year. Experts note that there have been past moments when U.S. overdose deaths seemed to have plateaued or even started to go down, only to rise again. That happened in 2018. But there are reasons to be optimistic. Naloxone has become more widely available, in part because of the introduction of over-the-counter versions that don't require prescriptions. Meanwhile, drug manufacturers, distributors, pharmacy chains and other businesses have settled lawsuits with state and local governments over the painkillers that were a main driver of overdose deaths in the past. The deals over the last decade or so have promised about $50 billion over time, with most of it required to be used to fight addiction. Another settlement that would be among the largest, with members of the Sackler family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma agreeing to pay up to $7 billion, could be approved this year. The money, along with federal taxpayer funding, is going to a variety of programs, including supportive housing and harm reduction efforts, such as providing materials to test drugs for fentanyl, the biggest driver of overdoses now. But what each state will do with that money is currently at issue. 'States can either say, 'We won, we can walk away'' in the wake of the declines or they can use the lawsuit money on naloxone and other efforts, said Regina LaBelle, a former acting director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. She now heads an addiction and public policy program at Georgetown University. President Donald Trump's administration views opioids as largely a law enforcement issue and as a reason to step up border security. That worries many public health leaders and advocates. 'We believe that taking a public health approach that seeks to support — not punish — people who use drugs is crucial to ending the overdose crisis,' said Dr. Tamara Olt, an Illinois woman whose 16-year-old son died of a heroin overdose in 2012. She is now executive director of Broken No Moore, an advocacy organization focused on substance use disorder. Olt attributes recent declines to the growing availability of naloxone, work to make treatment available, and wider awareness of the problem. Kimberly Douglas, an Illinois woman whose 17-year-old son died of an overdose in 2023, credited the growing chorus of grieving mothers. 'Eventually people are going to start listening. Unfortunately, it's taken 10-plus years.' ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
