Opioids and Infectious Disease

Opioids and Infectious Disease
By Gabriella Fiorino | May 7, 2018

The current opioid epidemic is a serious health concern. It impacts the mentally ill and sexually abused, and the men and women selflessly serving the country. Now, findings by the Health Resources & Service Administration link the epidemic to outbreaks of infectious diseases, significantly impacting numerous communities.

Towns across America have experienced at least 500% increases in instances of Hepatitis C, with 75% of new cases associated with intravenous painkiller use. There have also been surges in syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and other illnesses.

Many physicians believe the culprit of the epidemic to be the overprescribing of opiates. Indeed, last year the country witnessed the most massive health care fraud crackdown in U.S. history, as reported by Liberty Nation. Health care providers were caught distributing medically unnecessary narcotics to patients for financial gain.

Despite the aggressive investigations continuously underway by the Justice Department, two million citizens presently suffer from prescription opioid addiction. Also, more than twelve million Americans misused these medications within the past two years.

Read the full article: https://www.libertynation.com/opioids-and-infectious-disease/