Overshadowed by COVID – The opioid pandemic is still taking its toll across America

Jun 30, 2020

2 min

For more than two decades opioids have been ravaging American cities, towns, and communities. It prompted national attentions and official commissions advising the President.

 

But lately, as the world has turned almost all its focus on COVID-19, the opioid issue has been sitting in the shadows. Not necessarily idle or waiting, but just no longer the topic of a national conversation to find a cure.

 

Before COVID-19 turned our nation upside-down, policymakers were taking steps to help patients access evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder. This included focusing on removing health insurers’ barriers to medication and requiring insurers to provide parity for mental illness and substance use disorders — and holding them accountable for violations of the law in MassachusettsPennsylvania and New Hampshire, to name a few recent examples.


While we continue to take steps to address COVID-19 to help keep the public safe, the American Medical Association has seen reports from more than 30 states concerning increases in opioid-related mortality, mental health crises, suicide and addiction-related relapse. Reports are from every region in the nation. This includes a 20 percent increase in calls to the Jacksonville, Fla., fire department concerning overdoses; an “unusual spike” in overdoses in DuPage County, Ill.; increased emergency department visits in coastal North Carolina and spikes in fentanyl-related overdoses in Seattle. Georgia, too, has not been spared, causing increased concern for many- Dr. Patrice A. Harris is the immediate past president of the American Medical Association and chair of the AMA Opioid Task Force.



  • So – at what cost or how far back have efforts been set by COVID-19?
  • And how much harder will it be for America to regroup and take on its addiction to opioids?


There are a lot of questions to be asked – and if you are a journalist covering this topic or looking to learn more about the state of the opioid epidemic in America – then let our experts help.


Justin Cole is an expert in clinical pharmacy, Pharmacogenomics, and the pharmacy industry.  Justin has been following this issue closely and is available to speak with media. Simply click on his icon to arrange an interview today.


Powered by

You might also like...

Check out some other posts from Cedarville University

Canada-U.S. Tariff Dispute Puts Trade Policy and Consumer Costs in Focus featured image

1 min

Canada-U.S. Tariff Dispute Puts Trade Policy and Consumer Costs in Focus

Tariffs between the United States and Canada are again testing one of the world’s closest economic partnerships. New U.S. actions targeting select Canadian imports, along with Canada’s retaliatory measures on certain U.S. products, have moved the dispute beyond trade policy and into the everyday concerns of manufacturers, farmers, retailers and consumers on both sides of the border. The issue also arrives as the United States, Canada and Mexico assess the future of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, making trade negotiations a significant government and diplomatic priority. From a government perspective, tariffs are being used as leverage to address market access, domestic production and perceived unfair treatment of national industries. From an economic perspective, however, the costs can spread quickly through integrated supply chains—particularly in automotive manufacturing, steel and aluminum, agriculture, energy and consumer goods. Companies may face higher input costs and greater uncertainty, while households could see higher prices or fewer choices. The central question is whether tariff pressure will produce a negotiated resolution—or prolong a dispute that affects businesses and consumers in both countries. 

Prince Harry and Meghan Return to England featured image

1 min

Prince Harry and Meghan Return to England

Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have returned to England with their children for an extended stay after more than six years living in California. While the family is not expected to resume official working roles within the royal family, the move places them again at the center of ongoing public interest in the British monarchy and its future. The return comes amid continued strain between the Sussexes and other members of the royal family, alongside Prince Harry’s expressed desire for reconciliation with his father, King Charles III. Their renewed presence in the United Kingdom raises questions about the monarchy’s public image, the role of nonworking royals and how personal relationships within the royal family may shape public perception in the months ahead.

View all posts