Table 1.

Examples of approaches to address the opioid epidemic

Societal approaches

Reducing restrictions on lawful access to prescription opioids, because such restrictions may be driving some people toward the illegal market

Treatment for the millions who have opioid-use disorder

Removal of impediments to full coverage of medications approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treatment of opioid-use disorder

Partnerships between public and private payers, including insurance companies, to develop reimbursement models that support evidence-based and cost-effective comprehensive pain management, including drug and nondrug treatments for pain

Pharmacological approaches

Access to methadone and buprenorphine (substitute µ-opioid agonists) in a structured withdrawal program

Access to naloxone (a µ-opioid antagonist prescribed to rescue people dying as a result of respiratory depression from an opioid)

Approaches to address the opioid epidemic are from Refs. 50 and 65.