Ever since the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl began showing up in the illicit drug supply in 2014, the number of U.S. overdose deaths has skyrocketed — exceeding all other accidental deaths, including car crashes and gun violence.
In response, the federal government and some states are redoubling efforts to curb the epidemic of overdoses from opioid painkillers, heroin and fentanyl by making medication-assisted treatment more accessible to the estimated 9.5 million people with an opioid use disorder.
Last week, the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration proposed to make permanent pandemic-era rule changes that have allowed certain patients to take home up to a 28-day supply of the addiction medication methadone, instead of showing up for a daily dose at a crowded clinic.
