The opioid epidemic has been a hot-button issue at the state and federal level. Recent developments include:
- President Trump declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency and release the presidential commission report.
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded $53 million to 44 states, four tribes and the District of Columbia to improve access to treatment for opioid disorders, reduce opioid-related deaths and strengthen drug misuse prevention efforts.
- Former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, MD, MBA, sent a letter to 2.3 million American Health professionals expressing his concern about the epidemic.
- 46 governors signed the National Governors Association's Compact to Fight Opioid Addiction.
Understanding the severity of this issue, AGD developed the whitepaper, "The Role of Dentistry in Addressing Opioid Abuse," which contains AGD's policy statement on the role of dentistry in opioid abuse.
Additional Opioid Resources
U.S. Surgeon General’s Call to End the Opioid Crisis
CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain- U.S., 2016