The Opioid Crisis We’re Not Measuring

‘The money to fix this problem already exists’

‘We can’t fix the opioid crisis if we don’t know what’s killing people’Shravani Durbhakula at TimeMedical examiners are “unable to detect many of the compounds fueling the next phase of the overdose crisis. But simple changes could be transformational,” says Shravani Durbhakula. The U.S. “still relies on toxicology panels built for yesterday’s drug supply.” This “gap means that policymakers and public health professionals chase outdated trends.”…

The Opioid Crisis We’re Not Measuring

In Tennessee, data pins Knox County as the hotspot for emerging synthetic opioids known as nitazenes—compounds estimated to be 10 to 40 times stronger than fentanyl, now appearing in the illicit drug supply across the United States. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Yet, according to Chris Thomas, Chief Administrative Officer at the Knox County Regional Forensic Center, Tennessee’s overdose map is more reflective of where testing is happening, no…