PHILADELPHIA -- The Phillies and right-handed pitcher Joe Ross finalized a one-year contract Monday. The 31-year-old Ross made 10 starts and 25 total appearances for the Milwaukee Brewers last season. He went 3-6 with a 3.77 ERA. Editor's Picks Phils acquire lefty Luzardo in trade with Marlins 1d Jesse Rogers Phillies add ex-Twins OF Kepler on 1-year deal 3d Jeff Passan Selected by the San Diego Padres in the first round of the 2011 amateur draft, the 6-foot-4 Ross has pitched in 123 career games across seven seasons with the Washington Nationals and Brewers. In his career, he has combined for a 4.19 ERA with 469 strikeouts to 170 walks. He is 29-34. Ross is the latest in an offseason of minor moves for the NL East champs. The Phillies acquired left-hander Jesús Luzardo from the Miami Marlins and signed free agent outfielder Max Kepler to a $10 million, one-year deal. The Phillies, meanwhile, have no plans to pitch prized prospect Andrew Painter in spring training games as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. The 21-year-old Painter hurt his elbow during spring training in 2023 and had surgery that July 25 with Los Angeles Dodgers head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache. Painter was the 13th overall pick in the 2021 amateur draft and signed for a $3.9 million bonus. "He'll throw but not plan on pitching" in games, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Monday. "We're going to push the innings back." Dombrowski said Painter will build up at some point in the minor leagues and could make his major league debut at some point in the summer. Painter made six starts and allowed four runs in the Arizona Fall League. He struck out 18 batters in 152⁄3 innings after he sat out each of the last two seasons. Painter sprinted through Philadelphia's system in 2022, going 6-2 with a 1.48 ERA in 26 appearances spread across two Class A teams and Double-A Reading. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Rourke 2.0: Nathan’s brother Kurtis named NCAA’s top CanadianThe Nasdaq and the S&P 500 rose to record closing highs on Friday following upbeat forecasts from Lululemon Athletica and other companies and as US jobs data fuelled expectations the Federal Reserve would cut interest rates this month. The Dow finished lower, as a 5.1% drop in UnitedHealth Group shares weighed on the index. The S&P 500 consumer discretionary index rose 2.4% to hit an all-time closing high. It led gains among sectors, boosted by Lululemon. Shares of Lululemon Athletica jumped 15.9% after the sportswear maker increased full-year forecasts. Also in the consumer discretionary space, shares of cosmetics retailer Ulta Beauty advanced 9% after the company raised its annual profit forecast. The US Labour Department report showed job growth surged in November, but an increase in the unemployment rate to 4.2% pointed to an easing labour market. “It does support the case for the Fed to continue to cut rates in the December meeting and into the first quarter,” said Bill Northey, Senior Investment Director at US Bank Wealth Management in Billings, Montana. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 123.19 points, or 0.28%, to 44,642.52, the S&P 500 gained 15.16 points, or 0.25%, to 6,090.27 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 159.05 points, or 0.81%, to 19,859.77. The S&P 500 registered its 57th record closing high for 2024, while the Nasdaq Composite posted its 36th record high close for the year. For the week, the Nasdaq gained 3.3%, the S&P 500 rose about 1% and the Dow fell 0.6%. Following the data, US rate futures were pricing in roughly a 90% chance the Fed will lower interest rates by 25 basis points at its December 17-18 policy meeting, according to LSEG calculations which previously saw just a 72% chance. The Fed has lowered rates by 75 basis points since September, when it launched its easing cycle. Fed Governor Michelle Bowman said inflation risks remained, which augured caution with rate decisions. Shares of health insurance companies including UnitedHealth extended declines from the previous session, two days after Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealth’s health insurance unit, was fatally shot outside a Manhattan hotel. The shooter remained at large and his motive has not been determined. The death sparked comments on social media over frustrations with the US health insurance system. Among other stock moves, shares of Facebook-owner Meta Platforms were up 2.4% after a US appeals court upheld a law requiring China-based ByteDance to divest its popular short video app TikTok by early next year or face a ban. The Cboe Volatility Index, Wall Street’s fear gauge, ended down 0.77 point at 12.77 in its lowest finish since mid-July. Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 1.01-to-1 ratio on the NYSE. There were 354 new highs and 98 new lows on the NYSE. On the Nasdaq, 2,610 stocks rose and 1,678 fell as advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 1.56-to-1 ratio. Volume on US exchanges was 12.99 billion shares, compared with the 14.5 billion average for the full session over the last 20 trading days. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );Not only is Napheesa Collier a for the Minnesota Lynx and two-time , but she’s also a mother to her , Mila, and an advocate for women’s reproductive health rights. Recently, she decided to partner with Opill®—the first and only daily birth control pill available without a prescription in the United States. This landmark development represents a significant step forward in women’s healthcare, providing a convenient and accessible option for contraception. With Opill, women no longer need to visit healthcare providers for a prescription, making it easier than ever to take control of their reproductive health. The collaboration builds on Opill’s® multi-year partnership with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). “One of the reasons Opill® partnered with the WNBA is because the players are so passionate about using their platform to champion causes they believe in,” said Leila Bahbah, Perrigo U.S. Women’s Health Brand Lead. “Napheesa exudes that passion, and together we plan to educate and empower people to take charge of their reproductive health.” Collier advocates for women and says she’s ready for the conversations, even if they’re difficult. “I just really believe in everything that they’re doing at Opill®. I think it’s important to talk to people who can get pregnant and women about their options when it comes to reproductive health and contraception,” Collier tells ESSENCE. She continues, “I want people to know that if they wish to have birth control, there’s a great option in Opill®. It’s the first over-the-counter, FDA-approved one. It’s affordable, it’s accessible. You don’t need a prescription to get it. And I think in today’s climate, that’s a crucial thing.” Collier notes that she’s making a point to go on tour during the off-season to different colleges to talk to students about their reproductive freedoms. “Having the conversation around that is essential to remove the stigma because it shouldn’t be considered an embarrassing topic or something you shouldn’t discuss openly. My mom was a nurse, so talking about that in our household was ordinary, and I want to bring that to other people too, so I’m excited about that,” she says. And with this current political climate, many women with daughters are concerned for their future and their reproductive health. Collier, included. “Especially because I’m a mother of a young girl, it’s just essential for me to be able to raise her in a climate where she knows what her reproductive rights and health are, that she has access to affordable health care and contraception if she wants it, and that she’s able to ask me these questions and have open conversations.” Collier continues, “It comes back to education. Again, I think it’s harmful that we are not able to have open conversations about birth control and other things that are deemed usually taboo topics. I think it’s harmful. I think it causes a lot of damage to women. It hurts. It hurts our society. Being able to talk about these things and having women learn about their rights and bodies creates a safer and healthier society.”
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NEW YORK (AP) — The man accused of fatally shooting the CEO of UnitedHealthcare pleaded not guilty on Monday to state murder and terror charges while his attorney complained that comments coming from New York’s mayor would make it tough to receive a fair trial. Luigi Mangione, 26, was shackled and seated in a Manhattan court when he leaned over to a microphone to enter his plea. The Manhattan district attorney charged him last week with multiple counts of murder, including murder as an act of terrorism . Mangione's initial appearance in New York’s state trial court was preempted by federal prosecutors bringing their own charges over the shooting. The federal charges could carry the possibility of the death penalty, while the maximum sentence for the state charges is life in prison without parole. Prosecutors have said the two cases will proceed on parallel tracks , with the state charges expected to go to trial first. One of Mangione’s attorneys told a judge that the “warring jurisdictions" had turned Mangione into a “human ping-pong ball” and that New York City Mayor Eric Adams and other government officials had made him a political pawn, robbing him of his rights as a defendant and tainting the jury pool. “I am very concerned about my client’s right to a fair trial,” lawyer Karen Friedman Agnifilo said. Adams and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch stood among a throng of heavily armed officers last Thursday when Mangione was flown to a Manhattan heliport and escorted up a pier after being extradited from Pennsylvania. Friedman Agnifilo said police turned Mangione’s return to New York into a choreographed spectacle. She called out Adams' comment to a local TV station that he wanted to be there to look “him in the eye and say, ‘you carried out this terroristic act in my city.’” “He was on display for everyone to see in the biggest stage perp walk I’ve ever seen in my career. It was absolutely unnecessary,” she said. She also accused federal and state prosecutors of advancing conflicting legal theories, calling their approach confusing and highly unusual. In a statement, Adams spokesperson Kayla Mamelak Altus wrote: “Critics can say all they want, but showing up to support our law enforcement and sending the message to New Yorkers that violence and vitriol have no place in our city is who Mayor Eric Adams is to his core.” “The cold-blooded assassination of Brian Thompson — a father of two — and the terror it infused on the streets of New York City for days has since been sickeningly glorified, shining a spotlight on the darkest corners of the internet,” Mamelak Altus said. State trial court Judge Gregory Carro said he has little control over what happens outside the courtroom, but can guarantee Mangione will receive a fair trial. Authorities say Mangione gunned down Thompson as he was walking to an investor conference in midtown Manhattan on the morning of Dec 4. Mangione was arrested in a Pennsylvania McDonald’s after a five-day search, carrying a gun that matched the one used in the shooting and a fake ID, police said. He also was carrying a notebook expressing hostility toward the health insurance industry and especially wealthy executives, according to federal prosecutors. At a news conference last week, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the application of the terrorism law reflected the severity of a “frightening, well-planned, targeted murder that was intended to cause shock and attention and intimidation.” “In its most basic terms, this was a killing that was intended to evoke terror,” he added. Mangione is being held in a Brooklyn federal jail alongside several other high-profile defendants, including Sean “Diddy” Combs and Sam Bankman-Fried. During his court appearance Monday, he smiled at times when talking with his attorneys and stretched his right hand after an officer removed his cuffs. Outside the courthouse, a few dozen supporters chanted, “Free Luigi,” over the blare of a trumpet. Natalie Monarrez, a 55-year-old Staten Island resident, said she joined the demonstration because she lost both her mother and her life savings as a result of denied insurance claims. “As extreme as it was, it jolted the conversation that we need to deal with this issue,” she said of the shooting. “Enough is enough, people are fed up.” An Ivy-league graduate from a prominent Maryland family, Mangione appeared to have cut himself off from family and friends in recent months. He posted frequently in online forums about his struggles with back pain. He was never a UnitedHealthcare client , according to the insurer. Thompson, a married father of two high-schoolers, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group for 20 years and became CEO of its insurance arm in 2021. The killing has prompted some to voice their resentment at U.S. health insurers, with Mangione serving as a stand-in for frustrations over coverage denials and hefty medical bills. It also has sent shockwaves through the corporate world , rattling executives who say they have received a spike in threats. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Luigi Mangione pleads not guilty to murder and weapons charges in UnitedHealthcare CEO's death
Eye on cybersecurity, PSBs told to conduct hackathons annuallyCongress on Monday alleged that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat 's statement about not raising 'mandir-masjid' disputes was aimed at misleading people and reflected RSS's "dangerous" working as its leaders do just "opposite of what they say" and support those raising such issues. If the RSS chief is honest, he should publicly declare that in future Sangh will never support such netas who endanger social harmony, Congress' Jairam Ramesh said. "But they will not say this because temple-mosque issue is happening at behest of RSS. In many cases, those who incite such divisive issues and cause riots have connections with RSS... RSS helps them from getting a lawyer to filing a case. Bhagwat thinks by saying such things, sins of RSS will be washed away and his image will improve," Ramesh said on X. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword . Spread love this holiday season with these Christmas wishes , messages , and quotes.NYC syubway horror: Suspect Sabastian Zapeta has 'no memory of the attack'
TOKYO — Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan announced plans to work toward a merger that would form the world's third-largest automaker by sales, as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. The two companies said they signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors Corp. also agreed to join the talks on integrating their businesses. Automakers in Japan lag behind their big rivals in electric vehicles and are trying to cut costs and make up for lost time as newcomers such as China's BYD and EV market leader Tesla devour market share. Honda's president, Toshihiro Mibe, said Honda and Nissan will attempt to unify their operations under a joint holding company. Honda will lead the new management, retaining the principles and brands of each company. They aim to have a formal merger agreement by June and to complete the deal and list the holding company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by August 2026, he said. People are also reading... Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen hospitalized at UNMC after falling from horse Nebraska volleyball falls to Penn State in 5 sets in Final Four: How it happened Nebraska volleyball libero Lexi Rodriguez signs to play with Omaha pro team Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola addresses transfer portal speculation: 'It was unfortunate' Longtime Wahoo boys basketball coach Kevin Scheef resigns Amie Just: Lexi Rodriguez deserved a national title. For her career to end like this? Gutting Final Four volleyball: Roca native a regular for No. 1 Pitt; Kennedi Orr's impact on Nebraska 'Multiple wins for me': Lincoln North Star rallies from double-digit deficit hours after coach's son is born Nebraska volleyball laments being a 'couple plays' short of finishing off Penn State 3 Nebraska starters still with team to miss bowl game with mix of injuries, opt outs Here's a list of Lincoln restaurants open on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day Man killed in Friday night crash north of Lincoln Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen sustained fractured ribs, lacerated spleen in fall from horse Penn State swipes Final Four match from Nebraska, which was one point away The Journal Star's 2024 Super-State and all-state football teams No dollar value was given and the formal talks are just starting, Mibe said. There are "points that need to be studied and discussed," he said. "Frankly speaking, the possibility of this not being implemented is not zero." A merger could result in a behemoth worth more than $50 billion based on the market capitalization of all three automakers. Together, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi would gain scale to compete with Toyota Motor Corp. and with Germany's Volkswagen AG. Toyota has technology partnerships with Japan's Mazda Motor Corp. and Subaru Corp. News of a possible merger surfaced earlier this month, with unconfirmed reports saying Taiwan iPhone maker Foxconn was seeking to tie-up with Nissan by buying shares from the Japan company's other alliance partner, Renault SA of France. Nissan's CEO Makoto Uchida said Foxconn had not directly approached his company. He also acknowledged that Nissan's situation was "severe." Even after a merger, Toyota, which rolled out 11.5 million vehicles in 2023, would remain the leading Japanese automaker. If they join, the three smaller companies would make about 8 million vehicles a year. In 2023, Honda made 4 million, and Nissan produced 3.4 million. Mitsubishi Motors made just more than 1 million. "We have come to the realization that in order for both parties to be leaders in this mobility transformation, it is necessary to make a more bold change than a collaboration in specific areas," Mibe said. Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi earlier agreed to share components for electric vehicles like batteries and to jointly research software for autonomous driving to adapt better to electrification. Nissan struggled following a scandal that began with the arrest of its former chairman, Carlos Ghosn, in late 2018 on charges of fraud and misuse of company assets, allegations that he denies. He eventually was released on bail and fled to Lebanon. Speaking Monday to reporters in Tokyo via a video link, Ghosn derided the planned merger as a "desperate move." From Nissan, Honda could get truck-based body-on-frame large SUVs such as the Armada and Infiniti QX80 that Honda doesn't have, with large towing capacities and good off-road performance, Sam Fiorani, vice president of AutoForecast Solutions, told The Associated Press. Nissan also has years of experience building batteries and electric vehicles, and gas-electric hybrid powertrains that could help Honda in developing its own EVs and next generation of hybrids, he said. The company said in November that it was slashing 9,000 jobs, or about 6% of its global workforce, and reducing its global production capacity by 20% after reporting a quarterly loss of $61 million. It recently reshuffled its management and Uchida, its chief executive, took a 50% pay cut while acknowledging responsibility for the financial woes, saying Nissan needed to become more efficient and respond better to market tastes, increasing costs and other global changes. "We anticipate that if this integration comes to fruition, we will be able to deliver even greater value to a wider customer base," Uchida said. Fitch Ratings recently downgraded Nissan's credit outlook to "negative," citing worsening profitability, partly because of price cuts in the North American market. But it noted it has a strong financial structure and solid cash reserves that amounted to $9.4 billion. Nissan's share price also fell to the point where it is considered something of a bargain. On Monday, its Tokyo-traded shares gained 1.6%. They jumped more than 20% after news of the possible merger broke last week. Honda's shares surged 3.8%. Honda's net profit slipped nearly 20% in the first half of the April-March fiscal year from a year earlier, as its sales suffered in China.
Jensen SPRINGFIELD — The terrifying story of Central Illinois dentist and drug addict Phillip M. Jensen is the stuff of a Hollywood horror story. Jensen, 64, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who formerly had offices in Mattoon, Neoga and Effingham as well as Rochester, stole fentanyl anesthetic for his own recreational use. He would then replace the stolen drug by topping off the drained vials with saline, according to the U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. The watered-down drugs were administered to patients, some of whom woke up in screaming agony while Jensen performed surgery on them. The disgraced dentist was punished with 15 years in prison for his crimes and testimony from the victims he harmed was heard during his sentencing hearing Dec. 18. “The government presented the statement of a patient that awoke during her surgery,” said a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Central District of Illinois. “When Jensen realized she was awake, he struck the patient in the head with an instrument and completed the surgery, which involved the extraction of multiple teeth as well as the shaping and smoothing of the bones in her jaw, while she was conscious and lacking pain management.” Statements had been received from many victims, estimated to total some 99 in all, including a mother who said her sobbing child told her after surgery that she had “felt everything.” Jensen’s last practice center had been in Rochester before his medical license was suspended in 2022. U.S. Attorney Harris said Jensen’s conduct had first raised suspicions when office staff “began noticing patients who were moving, moaning and otherwise showing signs of pain and distress during surgery." Jensen started practicing dentistry in Illinois in 1987 and had branched into offices in Mattoon, Neoga and later in Effingham. News reports said the Effingham office had closed in 2011 and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation said Jensen’s license had been suspended for six months that year for what it described as failure to “comply with the terms of a Care, Counseling and Treatment Agreement.” Before his Dec. 18 sentencing, Jensen had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of drug diversion and two counts of acquiring a controlled substance by fraud. He also admitted one count of tampering with consumer products resulting in serious bodily injury and two counts of making false statements relating to health care matters. Jensen said his drug thefts from patients started as early as December 2019. He also admitted he had stolen at least half of the fentanyl in every vial in his practice. In addition to prison, he was fined $200,000 and permanently deprived of his medical license. Passing sentence, U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless said he had been guilty of a massive breach of trust that had inflicted agony on his patients. “If you cannot trust your doctor, who can you trust?” she asked the defendant. A federal grand jury had returned an indictment against Jensen in February of 2022 and he had been released on bond. But a warrant had been issued in July of 2024 and he had been placed in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service after he was accused of stalking and harassing a potential witness in the case against him. Fentanyl was the most promising medical advancement of its time. It's now one of the leading causes of death in the United States. The highly addictive synthetic opioid has infiltrated illicit drug supplies and left holes in families across the nation. According to a New York Times analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, fentanyl and drugs like it caused nearly 74,000 overdose deaths in 2022, surpassing other public health crises like car crash deaths and gun deaths. It's spurred public policy initiatives in an attempt to stem the flow of fentanyl from China and Mexico. It's led to more regulation of prescription opioids and increased efforts to make opioid abuse treatments more widely available. It's also reigniting debates about how to prosecute drug crimes and how to compassionately treat those who have already become victims of its addictive grip. Fentanyl is so frequently associated today with pain and suffering that it begs the question: Why was something so dangerous created in the first place? To get to the bottom of that question, Ophelia analyzed resources from academic journals, the Journal of Pain , and archived news articles to illustrate the origin of fentanyl, a drug that has become almost synonymous with America's opioid crisis. Paul Janssen was a revolutionary figure in Western medicine during the 20th century, developing dozens of medications and patenting more than 100 medical advances over his lifetime. The son of a doctor, Janssen lost his sister when she was only 4 years old after she contracted tuberculous meningitis. During World War II, Janssen studied physics, biology, and chemistry in Belgium. His familial background and education in chemistry, in particular, inspired him to think about the potential for chemical sciences to be applied to advancements in medicine. The time in which a young Janssen found inspiration was when war was driving innovation in health care at a rapid clip, and many procedures and medicines we take for granted today were just entering the fray. Surgeons were developing techniques to safely remove flesh so that fewer soldiers had to undergo amputation. Penicillin was seeing broader use for treating bacterial infections, having been discovered over a decade prior. And Janssen, who would become known simply as Dr. Paul to colleagues, was plotting the creation of his independent research laboratory. The first open-heart surgery was performed in 1952, kicking off a period of surgical ambition that would inspire Janssen to formulate the chemical compound known today as fentanyl. Around this time, doctors began experimenting with new techniques for heart surgery, the promise of treating heart disease propelling patients to take part in risky experimental procedures. Anesthetics available at the time often caused severe hypotension (low blood pressure) and arrhythmias (an irregular heartbeat) if they didn't kill the patient. Janssen set out to formulate the "most potent" narcotic pain reliever ever made, synthesizing fentanyl for the first time in 1960. The drug was shown to have 100-300 times the potency of morphine, the primary drug used in surgical procedures at the time. Fentanyl also had fewer side effects for patients. With morphine, the amnesia effect that helps patients forget the surgery while anesthetized was sometimes incomplete. Occasionally, morphine would also cause an allergic reaction; it also had the effect of depressing the respiratory system after surgery was complete, making it difficult for the patient to get oxygen. Fentanyl carries a similar impact on the respiratory system, and deaths from overdoses typically are the result of the respiratory system effectively shutting down. Fentanyl's potency worried some physicians, and that concern led to problems getting approval for its broader use. The Janssen Pharmaceuticals, acquired by Johnson & Johnson in 1961, struggled to get the Food and Drug Administration to approve the drug. It was resolved when Janssen suggested a 50:1 combination of droperidol and fentanyl be used in procedures, thereby diluting the chance for it to be misused because droperidol was known to induce a high that was not enjoyable. The FDA ultimately approved the cocktail for use in the U.S. in 1968; four years later, fentanyl became available for use on its own in small quantities. Fentanyl's FDA approval paved the way for the drug's use in surgical settings in the 1970s, and its success in heart and vascular surgeries propelled it to widespread acceptance. The drug experienced a rare "blockbuster" moment in the 1980s, with medical sales growing 10 times in just its first year off patent in 1981. New drugs can be so expensive to research and develop that it's rarely profitable for a company to bring them to market unless they know sales will be immense. Fentanyl had the added effect of activating pain-relieving and anesthetic responses in the body quicker than other methods of anesthesia. It was effective not only for surgical procedures but also for patients living with chronic pain and terminal illness. But all else aside, it was also easy and cheap to produce—and clinicians were leaning in. Its popularity in the medical community drove Janssen to develop other opioid anesthetics, which spurred companies to develop new ways of getting the drug into the patient's body throughout the 1980s and into the 2000s. Companies introduced lozenges, lollipops, under-the-tongue sprays, and skin patches with varying use cases for patients depending on their pain relief needs. Some of these new technologies were commercial failures, but they broadened the use cases for the newly synthesized and extremely potent opioids. Since Janssen first conceived it in his lab, fentanyl has become the most widely used intravenous anesthetic for surgical procedures. At the same time, its excessive use began just years after the FDA first approved it in the 1970s. In the 1990s, overprescription of other opioid painkillers like OxyContin seeded the ground for the epidemic of opioid use disorder plaguing the U.S. today. From the late 1990s through the 2000s, opioid-related overdose deaths skyrocketed, and regulators began cracking down on overprescribing physicians. Those efforts gave way to a rise in heroin overdose deaths in the early 2010s. And though fentanyl's potential for misuse concerned the FDA in the 1960s, it was perhaps impossible for regulators and the medical community to foresee the bevy of market forces that would lead to the modern-day opioid crisis in which fentanyl is featured heavily. The drug's potency, synthetic origin, and ease of production—coupled with the advent of e-commerce in the 2010s—have made it so that black market actors could flood the market with illegally synthesized pills and powders. Today, any illicitly manufactured drug could be cut with fentanyl, and the prevalence poses a risk for those in recovery from opioid use disorder for whom one relapse could result in death. Story editing by Ashleigh Graf. Copy editing by Paris Close. This story originally appeared on Ophelia and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. 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