AMA's Overdose Epidemic Report 2023: Overdoses Reach All-Time High

According to the Overdose Epidemic Report of 2023 published by the American Medical Association (AMA), the drug-related overdose epidemic was deadlier than ever despite actions being taken by physicians to help end the epidemic.

Physicians and other health care professionals have reduced opioid prescribing by nearly 50% on a national level, but overdose deaths related to illicitly manufactured fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine increased. Additionally, xylazine emerged as the latest threat to the overdose and death epidemic.

The AMA advocates for evidence-based approaches, but without stronger policy implementation and broader access to essential care, the overdose crisis will persist. A collective effort is crucial to reverse the national epidemic.

According to Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH, president of AMA, “This report highlights that the physician community is working on multiple fronts to remove barriers to evidence-based care for patients with substance use disorders and pain. Progress in reducing deaths, however, has been incredibly difficult due to a combination of factors, including the increasingly dangerous illicit drug supply contaminated with fentanyl and other toxic substances; the continued stigma faced by individuals with a substance use disorder; and the fact that health insurers, year after year, continue dragging their feet and are not stepping up to help patients access evidence-based care. We must all work together to end the epidemic and relieve the suffering experienced by every community in the United States.”

The AMA urges physicians to educate patients on naloxone and successfully advocated for it to be available over the counter, which can save lives in the event of an overdose.

The AMA also recommends the removal of barriers to evidence-based care, medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs) and co-occurring mental illness. They also suggest increasing access to opioid overdose reversal medications and removing insurance barriers to mental health care. Additionally, the AMA supports the expansion of sterile needle and syringe exchange services programs and recommends the development and implementation of systems to understand drug abuse and to implement public health interventions that address structural and racial inequalities.

Reference

Overdose Epidemic Report 2023. American Medical Association; 2023. Accessed January 25, 2024. https://end-overdose-epidemic.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/23-894446-Advocacy-2023-overdose-report_FINAL.pdf