Opioid addiction has now become a major cause of worry with the latest figures indicating that it is nothing short of an epidemic in America. The details reveal that to stop an entire generation of a population from drowning themselves in the intoxication of opioid, each and every part of the society including federal, state and local communities need to support the cause.

Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that more than 12,500 Americans succumbed to an opioid overdose last year which is more than double the number of people who died in gun violence in 2017. And this certainly is an alarming situation which at present does not have any straightforward, easy solution.  

Baltimore Health Commissioner Suggests Addressing Supply And Demand Sides

Dr. Leana Wen, the health commissioner and former emergency room doctor of Baltimore City has said that this crisis can be handled only by addressing the demand and supply sides of the issue and considering the other societal factors. The data reveals that the people dying of overdoses or with high addiction rates are mostly from the areas hardest hit by distressing factors such as housing instability, unemployment, and from communities with uncertain futures.

But to reduce drug trafficking, the efforts need the support from lawmakers and agencies as well as from pharmaceutical companies and doctors who need to reduce the over-prescription of pills.  The head of the Department for Health and Human Services, Azar, delivered a remark relative to the opioid addiction to the National Governors Association which says that the attempts to treat substance abuse without taking help of therapy and medication is like treating an infection without antibiotics.

However, there is a ray of hope for the medical fraternity as according to Azar, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is soon expected to release new guidelines for the manufacturers developing new formulations of buprenorphine for monthly use.  He expects these guidelines to be particularly helpful to the rural population were adhering to the norms related to treatment for opioid addiction can be challenging owing to fewer options. 

The new guidelines from FDA are expected to help the researchers focus on innovative studies around medication-assisted treatment.