Governors, physicians call for end to nation’s opioid epidemic

Governors and physicians find it unacceptable that nearly 30,000 Americans die each year from the misuse and abuse of prescription opioids and heroin. To end this national epidemic that claims the lives of so many of our family members and fellow citizens, governors, physicians, state legislatures and other stakeholders must join together to take action.

We agree that physicians who prescribe opioids and other controlled substances benefit greatly when they use prescription drug monitoring programs. These databases—when effectively funded, maintained and integrated into everyday practice—are a powerful tool to identify potential signs of opioid abuse, enhance patient care, improve prescribing practices and signal when a patient may need treatment for a substance use disorder.