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The United States is in the midst of an opioid overdose epidemic.
Opioids (including prescription opioids, heroin, and fentanyl) killed more than 42,000 people in 2016, more than any year on record. 40% of all opioid overdose deaths involve a prescription opioid.
What Can You Do to Prevent Opioid Overdose Deaths?
The Public
Learn more about opioids in order to protect yourself and your loved ones from opioid abuse, addiction, and overdose.
States
Consider ways to increase use of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs, which are among the most promising state-level interventions.
Healthcare Providers
Consider CDC’s opioid prescribing guideline for chronic pain, which helps primary care providers offer safer, more effective care.
CDC’s Work to Prevent Opioid Overdose Deaths
CDC is committed to an approach that protects the public’s health and prevents opioid overdose deaths.
HHS Efforts
The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is committed to addressing opioid abuse, dependence, and overdose. HHS has developed a five-point comprehensive strategy: (1) better data, (2) better pain treatment, (3) more addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery services, (4) more overdose reversers, and (5) better research. Several agencies within HHS have joined the effort.
In the News
- Confronting Opioids
- CDC Vital Signs: Opioid Overdoses Treated in Emergency Departments – Identify Opportunities for Action
- MMWR: Increases in Drug and Opioid-Involved Overdose Deaths — United States, 2010–2015
- Annual Surveillance Report of Drug-Related Risks and Outcomes – United States, 2017 [PDF – 1 MB]
- MMWR: Trends in deaths involving heroin and synthetic opioids excluding methadone and drug product reports by U.S. Census region, United States — 2006–2015
- CDC Vital Signs: Opioid Prescribing–Where You Live Matters
- CDC Publications
Note: The CDC Opioid Overdose site contains information on opioids. To see more of CDC’s work on other substances, visit the CDC A-Z index.
- Page last reviewed: October 23, 2017
- Page last updated: October 23, 2017
- Content source:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
- National Center for Injury Prevention and Control,
- Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention