Combating the opioid epidemic
The nation's opioid epidemic has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. Physicians across the country are stepping up as leaders to help prevent and reduce misuse, addiction, overdose and death from opioids.
Our effort
The American Medical Association encourages physicians to register patients in state-sponsored prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs). Together, we can begin to reverse this epidemic
44% decrease
in opioid prescriptions from 2011 to 2020
+910 million
PDMPs checked in 2020
Our stance
The opioid crisis is complex with no single solution, and we need a multi-pronged public health approach. Reforms are absolutely critical to seriously address the preventable epidemic that plagues our country.
Fight the epidemic
Physicians and other health care professionals have reduced opioid prescribing in every state for 10 consecutive years. They have increased the use of state prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) in every state for the past five years. Learn more about our efforts and what still needs to be done.