The Opioid Crisis Hasn’t Just Persisted—It’s Getting Worse
In 2021, 221 people died every day in the United States from opioid overdose according to provisional CDC data.1 Additionally, US drug overdoses soared to 107,622 deaths—a 15% increase from 2020.1 Much of that increase was driven by opioid-related drug overdose deaths. In fact, opioids accounted for 80,816 deaths in 2021—a 15% increase over the year before.1 Our nation is suffering from a public health crisis, which has been exacerbated by COVID-19. In addition, the proliferation of illicit fentanyl and counterfeit pills laced with it and other dangerous substances is a driving force of overdose deaths in the US, making it much more critical—and urgent—to prevent opioid misuse and addiction.
However, prescribers can be part of the solution.
Brought to you by Partnership to End Addiction, Search and Rescue is a prescriber education campaign, operating on a grant from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA),* with the sole purpose of providing healthcare professionals with the tools and resources they need to help patients avoid prescription drug misuse, abuse, and addiction.
Between 21% and 29%
of patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse them2