Magdalena Cerdá and Noa Krawczyk from NYU Grossman School of Medicine emphasize the need for the next US administration to focus on prevention, treatment, and harm reduction to address the ongoing opioid overdose crisis, which claims over 100,000 lives annually. They highlight the limitations of punitive measures and border controls in reducing overdose deaths, advocating for a comprehensive public health approach that includes reducing risky drug use, preventing overdoses, and reducing fatal outcomes. They suggest expanding access to evidence-based treatments, harm reduction services, and naloxone to save lives and address racial inequalities in overdose rates. A holistic approach is needed to combat this urgent public health challenge effectively.
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The US overdose crisis: the next administration needs to move beyond criminalisation to a comprehensive public health approach
