A new report by Avalere Health, "Trends in Opioid Use: History, Background, and Origins of the Epidemic," comes at a critical point in the broader discussion about opioid abuse and misuse, and provides important context around the clinical, regulatory and policy milestones that contributed to the public health epidemic and impacted the national response to the crisis.

Disposing of unused prescription opioids safely and as soon as they are no longer needed can help prevent these medicines from falling into the wrong hands. Data show that opioid misuse often starts in the home, with more than 40 percent of those who misused prescription pain relievers obtaining the medication from a friend or relative for free.

Efforts to mitigate the prescription drug abuse epidemic and activities surrounding DSCSA implementation once again top the list of priorities HDA will be addressing in the year ahead, according to HDA President and CEO John M. Gray. Mr. Gray provided his perspective, along with other healthcare supply chain leaders, as part of Chain Drug Review’s annual “Pharmacy Outlook” feature, published in the January 1 issue.

The Washington Post and 60 Minutes have done a major disservice to the battle against opioid abuse with their biased and one-sided reporting, specifically related to the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act. Their reporting was based primarily on the word of a former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) official, Joe Rannazzisi, who is now a consultant to trial lawyers suing the industry, as noted in both outlets.

Two years ago, Congress approved bipartisan legislation to address the rapidly growing opioid epidemic. Yet today, that legislation — S.483: Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act — is the subject of two upcoming media reports which mischaracterize the intent and outcome of the legislation.