Introduction to Themed Section on Opioid Misuse

It important not to be complacent about the opioid crisis —it continues unabated and demands renewed and focused attention. Almost 450 000 Americans died of an opioid-related overdose between 1999 and 2018.1 In 2017, the US Department of Health and Human Services declared the opioid crisis a national public health emergency.2 Approximately 1 in 100 adult s in the United States have an active opioid-use disorder (OUD); 88% have not received any medication for treatment. Several studies have projected a grim outlook for the opioid epidemic in the United States; under status quo, another 480 000 people could die from fatal opioid overdose in the next 1 0 years.
Source: Value in Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Source Type: research