Opioid Rx down, but overdoses and deaths up, AMA report shows

Opioid prescribing by physicians and other health professionals has decreased for the 13th consecutive year, down nearly 50% since 2012, while overdoses and deaths related to illicitly manufactured fentanyl, xylazine, and other synthetic substances continue to increase, according to the Overdose Epidemic Report 2023, released by the American Medical Association (AMA).