Keywords: Opioid epidemic, Drug overdose, Drug-related deaths, Chronic pain, COVID-19, Safer pain medications

Abstract

Summary: The last 25 years have seen a dramatic increase in drug overdose related deaths in both the industrialized and developing countries. Hundreds of thousands of people die every year. This human tragedy has recently been complicated by the COVID-19 epidemic, sidelining the minimal effort that was being implemented. As a global community, the governments, medical institutions, NGOs and the general public need to focus on this devastating human tragedy before more lives are lost senselessly, and unnecessarily.
Increased public awareness about new approaches to manage the already afflicted ones including targeted, minimally invasive procedures is required. In addition, the focus needs to be on aggressive research and development of innovative and safer medications and newer modalities for those suffering from chronic pain.
This paper offers a perspective, context and a vision for future.

Key words: Opioid epidemic; Drug overdose; Drug-related deaths; Chronic pain; COVID-19; Safer pain medications

Citation: Purvez A. Confronting the devastating ‘twindemic’; drug overdose deaths and the COVID-19. Anaesth. pain intensive care 2022;26(6):734−735;

DOI: 10.35975/apic.v26i6.2064
Received: October 26, 2022; Revised: October 29, 2022; Accepted: October 29, 2022

Author Biography

Akhtar Purvez

Interventional Pain Management Practitioner, Researcher, and Author, Pain & Spine Center of Charlottesville, 2335 Seminole Lane, Suite 500, Charlottesville, VA 22901, USA.