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The Commonwealth Fund released an issue brief on factors that have contributed to the recent decrease in overdose deaths in the U.S. and other high-income countries.
The main point: A combination of policies, changing drug supply, and behavioral changes among people who use drugs may have contributed to reduced overdose deaths.
The details:
- Several states have offered greater access to naloxone and fentanyl test strips.
- Medicaid expansion has provided coverage and access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) to a wider population.
- Several countries have implemented programs designed to reduce drug-related deaths among people recently released from prison.
- Efforts to improve data collection and coordination, including monitoring the drug supply at the local level, have supported overdose-reduction efforts.
Recommendations: The brief includes recommendations to sustain and encourage declines in overdose deaths in the U.S., including:
- Sustained funding for existing programs (i.e., cuts to Medicaid and harm reduction resources could lead to more overdose deaths)
- Leveraging new financing models (e.g., value-based payment for opioid use disorder treatment)
- Targeting policies for specific communities (e.g., community care models like community-based Native and Tribal organizations)
- International coordination (e.g., data and response coordination, uniform mortality definitions, shared early-warning systems)
Read more: Why are drug overdose deaths declining?; Overdose Decline
Published
September 2026