The number of new opioid prescriptions is falling while the number of new prescriptions for medication-assisted therapy to treat opioid addictions is slowly starting to rise, according to a new IQVIA paper.
Why it matters: We've barely scratched the surface when it comes to reversing the opioid epidemic, but both of these statistics are good news. They suggest that providers are cutting back on unnecessary opioid prescriptions, while more people addicted to opioids are on the path to recovery.
The catch: Opioid prescriptions still far outpace treatment prescriptions, and the forefront of the addiction crisis has already shifted from prescription opioids to heroin and illegal synthetic drugs.