To: Thomas E. Price, Secretary of the U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services

From: Mae Fountain, Health Service Administrator

Relevant Chapters: Ch. 5

Date: November 9, 2017

Issue: Opioid Epidemic

Opioid Epidemic

Save lives, and put an end to the opioid epidemic! The opioid crisis is a very prevalent

issue in the United States that needs to have serious action taken. Opioids killed almost 60,000

people in the United States last year. In this memo I will discuss what are opioids, what other

countries have implemented to reduce the number of deaths, and propose a reform to end the

opioid epidemic.

Opioids are a type of drug used to relieve pain. Some commonly known opioids include

prescription drugs oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, and codeine. (National Institute on Drug

Abuse, 2016). Heroin is an illegal drug that is derived from prescription painkillers. Opioids are

chemically designed to interact with receptors in our nerve cells (National Institute on Drug

Abuse, 2016). Since not all opioids are illegal, doctors prescribe them to patients every day.

When opioids are used responsibly they are very effective for patients with severe back pain or

post-surgery pain. The problem with opioids is they cause euphoria so people get addicted, and

misuse the drug (NIDA, 2016). When opioids are taken in large quantities not prescribed by a

doctor or when not needed for pain people have become dependent on the drug (NIDA, 2016).

As people get addicted to heroin or other painkillers they become more likely to overdose.

Overdoses can be reversed depending on the severity of the overdose, if paramedics can get there

in time. Sadly, in most cases, it is too late and there is nothing they can do. Commonly a family
member finds their loved one diseased. Opioid addiction is unfortunately still growing in the

United States.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for making sure drugs are safe and

effective for their intended use (Shi, Singh, p. 118). The FDA has created very strict laws to

attempt to control access to prescription medications (Shi, Singh, p.118). Yet, 140 people die

every day from opioid drug related overdoses. From 1990 to 2010 the United States has written

210 million pain med prescriptions (Kardaras, 2017). Doctors are only 20 percent responsible for

the opioid crisis (Fry, 2017).

The United States is not the only country who is suffering from the opioid epidemic. The

opioid crisis is a worldwide dilemma. The U.S. has yet to make an improvement in the opioid

epidemic, however about seven countries have been able to decrease the number of deaths

caused by drug overdoses. Rather than increasing prices of methadone clinics, these countries

have reduced the costs for individuals needing methadone treatment (Anderson,

2017). Australia, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Greece, and Italy have all made

major progress in the ending the opioid epidemic. They created good access to opioid

substitution therapy at pharmacies and doctors offices instead of methadone clinics (Anderson,

2017). Opioid substitution therapy is practically free to addicts in six out of the seven countries

(Anderson, 2017). At opioid substitution therapy clinics, there is little to no wait times, and

patients are not denied services if their urine test positive for other drugs (Anderson, 2017).

Furthermore, some of these countries have also opened DCRs or drug consumption rooms.

Safe injection facilities have made a huge dent in saving peoples lives. Germany alone has

opened 24 DCRs. Some countries have also opened heroin assisted treatment facilities and take

home naloxone programs for people struggling with addiction. All seven countries have reduced
the number of overdose deaths by over 40 percent (Anderson, 2017). The opioid crisis in the

U.S. needs to be treated as a global health issue instead of a crime. Treatment for addicts should

be a priority not a punishment.

I propose that the United States starts taking some notes on what those seven countries have

accomplished. Yes, it seems absurd to allow access to heroin and doctor monitored drug

consumption. The United States should open free methadone treatment clinic, open opioid

substitution therapy clinics, maybe even heroin assisted treatment facilities. The United States

currently has zero of those facilities. Obviously, rehabilitation retreats and facilities are not

putting an end to this epidemic. If you keep telling a child no they cant, or no you cannot have

that. All that child is going to do is keep breaking the rules. When first responders provide

Narcan a drug that is an opioid blocker, this drug brings people back to life even after an almost

fatal overdose (Kardaras, 2017). But just as we can't arrest our way out of the opioid epidemic,

we can't Narcan our way out of it either (Kardaras, 2017).

 References

Kenneth Anderson, April Smith / The Fix. (n.d.). 7 Countries That Beat an Overdose Crisis.

Retrieved November 10, 2017, from https://www.alternet.org/drugs/7-countries-beat-

overdose-crisis

Abuse, N. I. (n.d.). Opioids. Retrieved November 10, 2017, from

https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids

Who Americans Blame Most For The Opioid Epidemic. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2017,

from http://fortune.com/2017/06/21/opioid-epidemic-blame-doctors/

Kardaras, D. N. (2017, August 11). To fix the opioid epidemic, we must address the

causes. Retrieved November 10, 2017, from http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/fix-

opioid-epidemic-address-article-1.3404116

Shi, L., & Singh, D. A. (2017). Essentials of the U.S. health care system (4th ed.). Burlington,

MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. p.118.