Opioid death statistics are a prominent concern for public health officials. Approximately 183,000 people have died from overdose between 1999 and 2015. Opioid death statistics allegedly increased due to the aggressive marketing tactics of pharmaceutical manufacturing companies, which started back in the mid 1980s.

The use of opioids has significantly increased over the years. Patient advocates argue the companies allegedly presented false or inaccurate information regarding the recommended uses of these medications.

According to a recent report of opioid death statistics from the Department of Public Health data of Massachusetts, at least 201 state residents had died from overdoses in the first three months of 2018. More specifically, the 201 deaths occurred from January through March 2018 with the department estimating that approximately 240 to 305 more deaths added to the toll.

One of the most prominent drugs present in the opioid overdose cases was fentanyl, which was found in 85 percent of the opioid death statistics in 2017. Other drugs found in the overdose victims was cocaine in 49 percent of the reported deaths, and benzodiazepines in 38 percent of the reports.

Experts involved in the report state that the number could go up to 500, with the latest quarterly report monitoring the constantly rising opioid death statistics. However, the department stated the opioid death statistics have gone done by an estimated five percent in the first quarter of 2017 and was the first time that opioid deaths declined since 2010.

Overview of Opioid Death Statistics Report

According to the opioid death statistics report, the Department of Health had found that overdose rates declined for White and non-Hispanic residents with the number “stabilized” in the Hispanic population, with rates doubling from 2014 to 2016. However, the report had also found that the death rate for Black non-Hispanic residents had continued to increase in 2017, with an 82 percent increase from 2014.

“While we’re making progress, we continue to increase access to treatment and recovery supports and will tailor responses for particular populations including black residents whose overdose death rates are increasing, based on this data,” Public Health Commissioner Dr. Monica Bharel stated to Lowell Sun.

The department has reportedly tracked growing opioid death statistics for years, dating back to 2000 with the deaths of 379 Massachusetts residents. It is important to note that opioid death statistics did not go over 1,000 until 2014, going up to 1,353 from the 961 statistics reported in 2013.

The department estimates that approximately 62 to 70 additional deaths had occurred in 2016, along with 129 to 155 more deaths in 2017 after the opioid death statistics are finalized. This was the first opioid death statistics report the Department of Health released, in which the municipality of where the overdoses took place.

The report found that the most opioid deaths were recorded in the state’s largest cities Boston and Worcester with 266 and 109 respectively, in 2017. The opioid crisis has ravaged the country for over 20 years and has affected millions of people in the United States.

People who were prescribed opioids and developed an addiction may be able to file legal action against the pharmaceutical companies for misrepresenting the drugs as safe for long-term pain relief.

In general, opioid overdose death lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.

If your loved died from an opioid overdose in the last three years from an addiction that began as a legal opioid prescription from his or her doctor, you may have a legal claim. Get help now by filling out the form on this page for a FREE case evaluation.

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