Helping You Identify Opioid
Misuse and Assist Patients

Opioid Crisis Information for Healthcare Providers

The Evolving Opioid Crisis

In 2023, 222 people died every day in the United States from opioid overdose according to provisional CDC data.¹ Additionally, US drug overdoses soared to 107,543 deaths—a 17% increase from 2020.¹ Much of that increase was driven by opioid-related drug overdose deaths. In fact, opioids accounted for 81,083 deaths in 2023.¹ With millions of people affected, our nation is suffering from a public health crisis, which was 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.

As a prescriber, you can be part of the solution.

Brought to you by Partnership to End Addiction, Search and Rescue is a prescriber education campaign designed to provide health care professionals with the tools and resources they need to help patients avoid prescription drug misuse and addiction and access effective treatment. This project operates in partnership with the Opioid Response Network with funding from SAMHSA.*

Find your state’s drug monitoring database

Between 21% and 29%

of patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse them²

What You Can Do To Make A Difference^3-5

Start by Prescribing Non-Opioid Pain Treatments Whenever Possible

If opioids appear to be necessary, begin with the lowest effective dosage and a short-term prescription

Check your state's PDMP to monitor your patient's prescribing activity

To better minimize risk of patient death, avoid prescribing benzodiazepines along with opioids

Use the other resources available through Search and Rescue

Opioid Use Today

In 2022, 5.6 million Americans had a substance use disorder involving prescription pain relievers⁶
4 out of 5 people who use heroin misused a prescription opioid first⁷
Opioid deaths have increased in nearly every state in recent years⁸

An Expert Approach to Opioid Treatments

Find out how to safely reduce patient risk before you prescribe and during treatment.

Our Trusted Partners

References

Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm Drug Overdose Deaths in the United States, 1999–2020. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db428.htm
Vowles KE, McEntee ML, Julnes PS, Frohe T, Ney JP, van der Goes DN. Rates of opioid misuse, abuse, and addiction in chronic pain: a systematic review and data synthesis. Pain. 2015;156(4):569-576.
Guideline Recommendations and Guiding Principles. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/hcp/clinical-guidance/recommendations-and-principles.html
Even the new link for this one didn’t work anymore, so same page but new link: Prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/hcp/clinical-guidance/prescription-drug-monitoring-programs.html
PDMP policies and practices. Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Training and Technical Assistance Center website. Accessed August 6, 2021. https://www.pdmpassist.org/Policies
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt42731/2022-nsduh-nnr.pdf
Jones CM. Heroin use and heroin use risk behaviors among nonmedical users of prescription opioid pain relievers—United States, 2002-2004 and 2008-2010. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2013;132(1-2):95-100.
Opioid Overdose Death Rates and All Drug Overdose Death Rates per 100,000 Population (Age-Adjusted). KFF. https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/opioid-overdose-death-rates/?activeTab=graph&currentTimeframe=0&startTimeframe=4&selectedDistributions=opioid-overdose-death-rate-age-adjusted&selectedRows=%7B%22states%22:%7B%22all%22:%7B%7D%7D,%22wrapups%22:%7B%22united-states%22:%7B%7D%7D%7D&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D
Opioid Dispensing Rate Maps. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/rxrate-maps/opioid.html

Helping You Identify OpioidMisuse and Assist Patients