Monday, February 17, 2025

A significant one year decline in opioid overdose deaths in Hamilton county (Cincinnati, Ohio) and the rest of the US

Good news!

One year of data does not make a trend nor is it very instructive!

"Hamilton County, Ohio, has long battled a staggering opioid overdose epidemic. But that is starting to change. 

The county—which includes Cincinnati—saw a sharp drop in overdose deaths, from 393 in 2023 to ~270 in 2024.

Reflecting a national trend: National overdose deaths decreased by 20%+ in 2024, per provisional CDC data.

Behind the drop: Researchers and frontline responders point to a “confluence of factors,” including:
  • Broadened access to naloxone and opioid addiction treatment
  • More outreach programs
  • Crackdowns on Chinese chemical suppliers and Mexican criminal groups manufacturing fentanyl
  • And potentially—a diminished population of at-risk people because so many have already succumbed to overdoses
..."

Global Health NOW: U.S. Agencies Brace for More Cuts; Launching a Vaccine Trial During an Ebola Outbreak; and The ‘Wild West’ of Antivenoms in Africa

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