The investigation of Prince’s death was completed on Thursday, June 2, and findings concluded that the “Purple Rain” singer died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl, according to the Midwest Medical Examiners Office. In the op-ed he explained that “timely care” has been hard to get partly because there aren’t enough doctors in the USA certified to prescribe the drug. “It is also sometimes used to treat people with chronic pain who are physically tolerant to opiates”.
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Ned Presnall, executive director of the addiction medicine center at Clayton Behavioral in St. Louis joins KTVI anchor John Pertzborn to talk about the commonality of the drug.
As per the US Drug Enforcement Administration, it is 25 to 50 times more potent in comparison to heroin and 50 to 100 times more potent as compared to morphine.
“Right now, we need medical interventions for opioid dependence and addiction more than ever, because in the USA we’re losing 28,000 people every year – a number that would average out to 77 people daily – to opioid overdoses”.
The report, which was released on Thursday, describes Prince Rogers Nelson’s death as “self-administered fentanyl” toxicity.
A police warrant has also revealed that the doctor, Michael Schulenberg, prescribed medication to the singer on 20 April – the day before he died.
Prince’s former guitarist Dez Dickerson told FOX411 he was stunned when he heard the cause of death.
April 20: According to Kornfeld attorney, Dr Howard Kornfeld , an addiction specialist from California, is asked by Prince’s representatives to help the star.
Detailing how his father Dr. Howard Kornfeld (who reportedly sent his son to treat Prince) taught him about biology and health, Kornfeld writes that “he taught me that health is the foundation to all else, in regard to human life”.
The report said Prince, who was 5 feet 3 inches, weighted 112 pounds when he died.
Andrew, who is gearing up to apply to medical school, describes how Prince could have been helped sooner-and theorizes why he wasn’t.
Some in the substance abuse treatment community see Prince’s death as an opportunity to open a dialogue about the drug’s effects on Americans.
The office released a statement: “The US Attorney’s office and DEA are joining the Carver County Sheriff’s investigation”.
According to CNN, the medical examiner’s report did not state whether the fentanyl was illegally obtained, made or prescribed.
The singer/songwriter was found in an elevator at the home. He then performed two makeup concerts in Atlanta, followed by his emergency plane landing in the Quad Cities.
Prince, who had a reputation for clean living, had long suffered from bad hip – and some who knew him said he had been addicted to pain meds for some time.
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Longtime friend and collaborator Sheila E. has told the AP that Prince had physical issues from performing, citing hip and knee problems that she said came from years of jumping off risers and stage speakers in heels.
