Founder’s Spotlight: Opioids Opioid Epidemic Declared a Health Emergency in the United States The statistics are staggering—nearly 91 Americans die every day from opioid overdoses. Opioid painkillers are the most prescribed class of medication in the U. S. According to a 2016 report by the United States Surgeon General, over 289 million prescriptions are written every year. What are opioids? Opioids are a class of drugs that include illegal narcotics such as heroin and opium. Synthetic opioids are legally prescribed by doctors, dentists and other medical professionals for pain management purposes. Extended-release opioids work gradually and give the patient a greater duration of pain relief. Legal synthetic opioids include: Demerol Fentanyl Hydrocodone (Lorcet, Lortab, Norco, Vicodin) Hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Exalgo) Methadone (Dolophine, Methadose) Morphine (Astramorph, Avinza, … Continue reading Opioids