Re: American Medical Association, Harm Reduction Coalition and National Safety Council urge
increased focus on overdose prevention and treatment
Dear Dr. Crippen
On behalf of the nation’s physicians and medical students, leading safety advocates, community leaders,
and health care professionals who work every day to promote the health and dignity of individuals and
communities impacted by drug use, we write to urge your strong support for turning the nation’s
discussion about prescription drug abuse and diversion into one that places increased emphasis on
overdose prevention and treatment.
The members, advocates and partners of the American Medical Association (AMA), National Safety
Council (NSC), Harm Reduction Coalition (HRC) and the undersigned organizations, know firsthand the
scope and trauma brought by abuse, misuse, overdose and death from opioids. Recently, the U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that deaths involving prescription opioids have
declined for the first time in a decade – yet remain unacceptably high at more than 16,000 lives lost
annually. However, there has been a substantial increase in deaths from heroin. The CDC recently
reported that 8,257 people died of heroin-related deaths in 2013 – a 39 percent increase from 2012 (5,925
deaths). Combined, deaths from heroin and prescription opioids are rising. In other words, at this point,
we are unable to say there has been success in preventing death from opioid-related overdose.
The nation’s governors know that this national crisis has taken hold in virtually every state in the nation.
Through the National Governors Association excellent Policy Academy to Reduce Prescription Drug
Abuse, and in many state legislatures, it has become common to view restrictions on prescribing and other
mandates as essential. Data show that states that have enacted restrictive measures have seen prescribing
rates decrease which is not surprising. Data are not available, however, on the consequences for patients
with unmet overdose prevention and addiction treatment needs. What is happening to them?
…
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