Today, US Surgeon General Jerome Adams, MD, MPH, issued a public health advisory urging more individual Americans to carry a dose of naloxone, a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Death rates from opioid overdoses have been increasing in recent years, and an estimated 2.1 million Americans have opioid use disorder. In response to the Surgeon General’s public health advisory, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) issued the following statement from CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, MD, MPA:

“Opioid use disorder is a significant public health emergency affecting millions of Americans, as well as their friends and families. We applaud Surgeon General Adams for his public health advisory. There is clear evidence that naloxone can save lives by preventing an opioid overdose. The APA has worked with our psychiatrist members and with other medical organizations to ensure access to treatment for those affected by opioid use disorder, including the use of appropriate medications like naloxone. We hope that by working together with health providers, communities, and legislators, we can turn the tide on the opioid epidemic.”