7 medical devices combating the opioid crisis

Opioid-related deaths have become an epidemic in the U.S., garnering attention from the White House, the FDA and many other governmental bodies.

From 2000 to 2014, nearly half a million Americans died from drug overdoses. In 2015, more than 50,000 people died from drug overdoses, and 33,000 were opioid-related.

Prescription overdoses continue to cause more deaths than any other opioid type while incurring a high economic cost. The Council of Economic Advisers reports that the opioid crisis had an economic cost of $504 billion in 2015, and prescription opioid misuse increases healthcare and substance abuse treatment costs by $29.4 billion.

There are several devices and technologies currently on the market that are designed to reduce opioid abuse. They include technologies that treat acute pain, technologies that treat chronic pain and devices for medication management and pill dispensing. Here are 7 medical devices that are working to combat the opioid crisis.

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