In 2016, synthetic opioids, specifically illicit fentanyl, contributed to more overdose deaths in the U.S. than prescription opioids, according to a study published in JAMA Psychiatry.
Synthetic opioids are categorized separately from heroin and prescription drugs, such as Vicodin or OxyContin. These synthetic painkillers contributed to 19,413 deaths in 2016, which was roughly 2,000 more deaths than were linked to prescription opioids.
The study marks the first time synthetic opioids contributed to more overdose deaths than prescription opioids during this decade. Additionally, the data revealed the number of all opioid-related deaths linked to synthetic opioids jumped from 14 to 46 percent from 2010-16.
Out of the people who died from a synthetic opioid-related overdose in 2016, about 80 percent had used another drug or had consumed alcohol. About one-third (37 percent) of the approximately 15,000 heroin-related deaths reported in 2016 also involved synthetic opioids.
The study authors highlighted the importance of knowing about fentanyl and how to properly administer naloxone. "Widespread public health messaging is needed, and clinicians, first responders, and lay persons likely to respond to an overdose should be trained on synthetic opioid risks and equipped with multiple doses of naloxone," the authors noted.