In honor of International Overdose Awareness Day, we examine individual and community strategies to help end the overdose epidemic.
August 31st is observed as International Overdose Awareness Day. The day serves several purposes, but above all shines a light on the tragedy of deaths attributed to drug overdose. The day also provides a space to acknowledge the grief of friends and families who have lost loved ones to drug overdose.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 107,941 people died from drug overdose in 2022. Between 2021 and 2022, overdose deaths from synthetic opioids (like fentanyl) increased, as did rates from use of cocaine and psychostimulants. What is truly tragic is that many of these overdose deaths are preventable.
3 strategies to curb opioid overdoses
A key tool in the arsenal against drug overdoses is widespread use of Naloxone, a drug used to reverse the effects of opioid medications. It is available as a nasal spray that can be used easily and can reverse effects of a range of opioid drugs including heroin, fentanyl, prescription opioids, and illegally manufactured opioids. In the past few years, several states have made strides in increasing access to Naloxone, sometimes through the use of community vending machines, but there is still ground to be covered.
For people looking to reduce risk of relapse, Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) offers an important tool to maintaining sobriety. This includes access to therapies like Buprenorphine (Suboxone) and Methadone. There remain bottlenecks in access to these services, which can be overcome through improved public health access using technology.
Finally, urine drug testing can be a useful tool in supporting the recovery process by helping detect relapse and allowing people to stay accountable to themselves in their journey. It can also guide potential treatment options and behavioral therapies.
Your point-of-care testing partner
The Primary.Health CLIA waiver enables non-traditional diagnostic settings to perform urine drug testing and other professional point-of-care tests outside the laboratory. Schedule a call with our CLIA team today to learn the benefits of CLIA-waived testing and how your organization can apply for the program.
Disclaimer: This blog content and linked materials are not intended as individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and should not be considered as such. Any readers with medical concerns should contact a licensed healthcare provider. This blog is provided for informational purposes only.
