The Opioid Epidemic: How Prescription Drugs Became a Crisis

The opioid epidemic killed approximately 806,000 Americans between 1999 and 2023. It began with aggressive marketing of OxyContin by Purdue Pharma in the 1990s. The company claimed the extended release formulation was rarely addictive, a claim that proved devastatingly wrong.

As prescriptions soared, patients became dependent. When prescriptions became harder to get, many turned to heroin and illicit fentanyl. The crisis has led to lawsuits against drug manufacturers and distributors, bankruptcy of Purdue Pharma, and criminal charges against executives.

Naloxone distribution and medication assisted treatment with buprenorphine and methadone are key strategies in reducing overdose deaths..