In 2015, the CDC launched several initiatives to help bring down the number of prescription drug overdoses. One initiative called Prevention for States supports states with resources, such as strategies for safe prescribing practices that can be used to advance interventions against overdoses. The CDC also launched When the Prescription Becomes the Problem, a social media site where people tell their stories of opioid abuse to help others learn from their experience.
This year, in an effort to better track drug abuse and deaths and investigate health emergencies related to opioid abuse, the CDC will expand Prevention for States to all 50 states. The CDC is also developing guidelines to help primary care practitioners and other opioid prescribers provide safer care while reducing the risk of addiction and overdose.