This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
‘Progress being made’ in opioid epidemic, CDC says
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
A CDC spokesperson said provisional data and other reports signify that “progress is being made” in the opioid epidemic.
The turnaround is due to multisector efforts at the federal, state and local level, according to the agency.
The comment was made after Healio Primary Care inquired about a recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, which indicated that overall opioid deaths decreased by 4.6% between the second half of 2017 and the first half of 2018 across 25 states and Washington, D.C.
The MMWR report also showed that prescription opioid deaths not involving illicit opioids dropped 10.6%, non-illicitly manufactured fentanyl deaths declined 19%, and U-series drug deaths dropped 75.1%.
But the report also showed acetylfentanyl deaths that involved illicitly manufactured fentanyl increased 57.5%, and deaths from illicitly manufactured fentanyl increased by 11.1% overall. In addition, benzodiazepines, cocaine and methamphetamine played a role in 32.5%, 34% and 12.1% of opioid deaths, respectively.
The increases signify that “urgent work remains to be done,” according to the CDC, and that “additional data and research are needed to address a diverse and evolving array of drug types, like illicitly manufactured fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine.”
Efforts by multiple stakeholders will be needed to address the ongoing crisis and as new threats become known, the spokesperson added.
Visit Healio’s Opioid Resource Center for the latest information on the epidemic, including treatment strategies, FDA decisions and other news. – by Janel Miller
Reference: Gladden RM, et al. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2019;doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6834a2.
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.