Michael Lewandowski’s Post

Nearly 108,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2022, according to final newly released federal figures. Over the last two decades, the number of U.S. overdose deaths has risen almost every year and continued to break annual records — making it the worst overdose epidemic in American history.   Clinicians can curb opioid abuse when they have access to knowledge that helps them simultaneously stop inappropriate drug-seeking behavior while continuing to help patients with valid medical needs. FDB provides the drug knowledge that enables providers to prescribe controlled substances in their normal workflow, keep patients safe and comply with state and federal laws.   Read the full story from The Associated Press: https://bit.ly/3TyQdSh | #OpioidEpidemic #MedSafety #DrugKnowledge #PatientFirst

🚨 Important Update on Overdose Deaths! 🚨 Recent state and federal data reveals a sharp decline in drug overdose deaths across the U.S., marking a significant improvement in our fight against the fentanyl crisis. Between April 2023 and April 2024, overdose deaths decreased by about 10% nationally, totaling approximately 101,000—this is the largest decrease on record, according to the Biden administration! 📉 Nonfatal overdoses have also fallen by more than 10%. This encouraging trend suggests that tools like naloxone, the life-saving overdose-reversing medication, are making a real difference. While we celebrate this progress, experts are still analyzing the reasons behind this significant decline. Nabarun Dasgupta, a leading drug policy expert, notes, “The pace of the decline is such an anomaly in the last 20 years.” Let’s continue to push for effective strategies and support in our communities! 💪💙 Read more about this hopeful development here: https://lnkd.in/eBTRdD_p OverdosePrevention #PublicHealth #Naloxone #Hope #Recovery

According to the CDC, over 75% of the nearly 107,000 drug overdose deaths in 2021 involved an opioid. How can we be part of the solution? Learn how to help people struggling with substance misuse at our Opiates Intervention webinar next Thursday at 3pm: https://lnkd.in/eK9vxewe UPDATE: Please note that this webinar will be rescheduled. Follow us to keep up-to-date with the latest information.

Shocking statistics from the Penington Institute released today showing overdose deaths in 2022 almost double the road toll. So many of these unintentional overdoses are preventable, and each of them is an individual tragedy for families and friends. It's particularly saddening to see the 40% rise in heroin overdoses in light of the decision to not proceed with the Melbourne CBD overdose prevention center. We know what works to reduce overdose, yet stigma towards people who use drugs prevents life-saving and evidence-based measures being taken. With potent synthetic opioids already being detected in the drug supply, coordinated action is urgently required. For more: https://lnkd.in/dthjqfFS

Narcan Accessibility: Increasing the availability of Narcan (naloxone), a life-saving medication that can reverse an opioid overdose, to first responders, community members, and family members of individuals at risk of overdose. https://bit.ly/3TNTvT9

Our new overdose snapshot, released earlier this week, reveals an early look at the latest data on #overdose in Australia – and the urgent need for action. “We’ve got terrible barriers to access around the country to the best evidence based, cost effective treatment for opioid use disorder,” our CEO John Ryan told Guardian Australia. Our overdose snapshot gives a preview of the data that will be explored in our full Australia's Annual Overdose Report, to be released this August. Catch up now on some of the key findings, with insights from John Ryan on how we could improve Australia's response to the growing overdose crisis. #EndOverdose #OverdosePrevention #Research #DrugPolicy

According to the CDC, US drug overdose deaths have dropped to their lowest in the past 4 years (down 14% from previous 12-month period). The cause for this decline is multifactorial but may be attributed to the following: - Increased accessibility of naloxone and buprenorphine - Addressing the supply of illicit fentanyl coming in at the border - Money from opioid-related legal settlements being sent to communities - Less social isolation and increased availability of healthcare coming out of COVID-19 - Fewer high risk people currently living with addiction due to high death rates in previous years It’s important to note that while this data is promising, overdose deaths have actually risen in some Black and Native American communities. More support for marginalized and underserved communities is desperately needed. What do you think has made the most impact on overdose deaths? What do we need to do to ensure this decline continues?

Seven people die of a drug overdose in BC every day. And it’s not always who you might think. Our extended family lost someone to a drug overdose in 2021. Most overdose deaths happen at home, not on the street. The poison drug supply is driving the increase in overdose deaths. Autopsies have found fentanyl present in over 85% of overdose deaths. Your friends, family or children may think they are getting a “safe” party drug… but it may be inadvertently tainted with a lethal dose of fentanyl. If they don’t have Naloxone handy, it could be fatal. I’m sharing this because the more that we know about the poison drug supply, the more likely it is that we can prevent even just one overdose death. A huge thank you to Scott Elliott and the team at the Dr. Peter Centre. Scott recently held eye-opening talks for my CEO forum groups on the opioid crisis, including what people and businesses can do about this complex issue. The team at the Dr Peter Center are doing great work to make a difference. #businessleadership #opiodcrisis #stopoverdose

Although this is a national report, I can’t help my victorian mind turning to the way things are in our state right now when it comes to overdose. Years of patchy investment in ‘inititatives’ that treat one harm reduction issue at a time - and that have to fight for funding at the end of each cycle. Unfunded needle and syringe programs, the backbone of our harm reduction services, barely getting by ouside of metro areas. No systematic planning of services and funding so that they will land where they’re most needed. And treating opioid pharmacotherapy like it’s some kind of special treatment rather than a well established medication that’s been available for years. Harm reduction - more so than any other type of AOD support - operates in the grey. Finding hidden allies. Pushing boundaries. And often, sadly, when it comes to harm reduction policy and funding, needing to bargain down from what’s best to what is least worse. Let’s hope that we see more boundary pushing and allies, and less bargaining, in the Victorian AOD strategy due to come out at the end of the year.

In 2023, there was a 3% decrease in drug overdose deaths, marking the first decline since 2018. Despite the decrease from 111,029 to 107,543 deaths, over 100,000 individuals still senselessly lost their lives to drugs. And what about the thousands that were saved with Narcan and the 100,000+ expected to die from drug overdoses in 2024. It's crucial to also focus on the problem's core cause, including prevention and early intervention efforts. Our healthcare communities have made progress in areas such as having tough patient conversations about obesity, wellness/annual exams, cigarette smoking, and self-harm questionnaires. If we can utilize this largest national network, healthcare providers, and equip them with evidence based options and community resources before the problem escalates then that is when we will have a chance at truly ending the opioid crisis and these senseless deaths. #Kodiak, #healthcare, #opioid, #opioidepedemic, #populationhealth #populationhealthmanagement, #healthcare, #patientsafety https://lnkd.in/gNdCkZxz To learn more, visit the CDC press release: [CDC Press Release](https://lnkd.in/gT6FWBZf).