STAT

Opinion: Follow the evidence to treat opioid addiction

Not much was accomplished during the 90-day opioid public health emergency. Maybe we can do better during its renewal.
Source: Ted S. Warren/AP

On Friday, just days before President Trump’s declaration of the opioid epidemic as a national public health emergency was due to expire, the acting director of the Department of Health and Human Services renewed it for another 90. The declaration sparked little progress in its first 90 days, making it seem like just another symbolic gesture. That’s a shame because the fight against addiction demands real action. With lives hanging in the balance, we urge the Trump administration to use the renewal to take strong steps to stop a vexing problem that affects communities across the United States.

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