Richmond, VA, March 22, 2021- March 22 through March 28, 2021 is National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week®, an annual, week-long, health observance developed by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to raise awareness about substance abuse, including alcohol, and addiction in communities across the U.S.
Data show that since March of 2020, the drug positivity rates have increased - highlighting the worsening state of the opioid epidemic in the U.S.1 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drug overdose deaths reached a record high in 2020. More than 83,000 drug overdose deaths were recorded in the United States, a 21 percent increase over the previous year. 2 These substantial increases in drug overdose deaths were primarily driven by rapid increases in overdose deaths involving synthetic drugs including opioids, likely illicitly manufactured fentanyl, as well as psychostimulants, such as methamphetamine.
“Drug and Alcohol Facts Week is a time to rethink our perceptions of opioid use disorder, alcohol and substance misuse and advocate for those people who remain under-diagnosed, under-treated and under-supported,” said Mark Crossley, CEO Indivior. “With drug overdose deaths at a record high, we must tackle the stigma that surrounds these diseases and that inhibits people from seeking or receiving treatment. At Indivior, we remain committed to helping those struggling with substance use disorders find a path to recovery.”
It is a common misconception that Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is a moral failing, but science shows us that OUD is a disease that hijacks and physically changes the brain, driving people to put opioids above everything else.4,5,6 In 2019, over 10 million people aged 12 and older misused opioids in the United States, the majority of whom misused prescription pain relievers.
During Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® 2021, Indivior encourages people to visit RethinkOpioidAddiction.com to learn more about OUD and expand their understanding of this treatable and chronic illness.
About Indivior
Indivior is a global pharmaceutical company working to help change patients’ lives by developing medicines to treat addiction and serious mental illnesses. Our vision is that all patients around the world will have access to evidence-based treatment for the chronic conditions and co-occurring disorders of addiction. Indivior is dedicated to transforming addiction from a global human crisis to a recognized and treated chronic disease.
Building on its global portfolio of opioid dependence treatments, Indivior has a pipeline of product candidates designed to both expand on its heritage in this category and potentially address other chronic conditions and co-occurring disorders of addiction, including alcohol use disorder. Headquartered in the United States in Richmond, VA, Indivior employs more than 700 individuals globally and its portfolio of products is available in over 40 countries worldwide. Visit www.indivior.com to learn more. Connect with Indivior on LinkedIn by visiting www.linkedin.com/company/indivior.
Investor Contact:
Jason Thompson,
Indivior Vice President,
Investor Relations
+1 804-402-7123
Jason.Thompson@indivior.com
Media Contacts:
UK:
Tulchan Communications
+44 207-353-4200
US:
IndiviorMediaContacts@indivior.com
+1 804-594-0836
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