One in three opioid overdose deaths goes uncounted by federal officials in the US, study suggests
- The CDC says there were about 375,000 deaths from opioids on the whole and 106,000 from heroin from 2013 to 2017
- Researchers looked at data on overdoses death reported in Florida and across the US
- They say fatal overdoses in Florida related to heroin and methadone were under-reported by 25% and 45%, respectively
- State deaths related to benzodiazepine were under-reported by 45% and amphetamines were under-reported by 17%
- Nationally, the team says this means the real overdose death tolls for that four-year period are 501,329 from opioids and 146,110 deaths from heroin
As many as one in three opioid overdose deaths may go uncounted by US health officials, a new study suggests.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that, between 2003 and 2017, there were about 375,000 deaths from opioids and 106,000 deaths from heroin.
But researchers from the University of South Florida found that government officials missed as many as 45 percent of deaths in the Sunshine State alone.
The team says it estimates that there were actually 33 percent more fatal opioid overdoses and 36 percent more heroin overdose across the country over the 14-year time period than previously reported.
A new study from the University of South Florida suggests that there 501,329 deaths from opioids and 146,110 deaths from heroin from 2013 to 2017, 33% more than originally reported (file image)
According to the CDC, nationwide overdose deaths topped 70,000 in 2017, a 10 percent increase from the year before.
Fentanyl, the synthetic opioid 100 times stronger than morphine, was the driving culprit, alone accounting for a 45 percent increase in deaths between 2016 and 2017.
But the researchers say that number could be much larger.
For the new study, published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, the team looked at data from the Florida Medical Examiners Commission (FMEC) and compared it to data from the CDC’s Multiple Cause of Death (MCOD) database.
According to MCOD data, nationally there were 375,527 deaths caused by opioids and 106,806 caused by heroin between 2003 and 2017.
However, for Florida, federal officials undercounted the number of overdose deaths caused by benzodiazepines – psychoactive sedatives – by 45 percent and amphetamines – powerful stimulants – by 17 percent.
An additional 3,000 deaths from cocaine were also overlooked.
What’s more, the percent of fatal overdoses not included in the federal data for heroin and methadone were about 25 percent and 45 percent, respectively.
Using the estimates from Florida, researchers believe the true numbers are 501,329 deaths from opioids and 146,110 deaths from heroin across the US.
The team believes there is such a difference in reported numbers because Florida medical examiners are required to wait for complete toxicology reports before submitting an official cause of death, which could take weeks or months.
Meanwhile, CDC data is from death certificates filed by local authorities, which don’t always include information on what drug or drugs were involved, if any..
‘The CDC data are widely reported in the news and referenced by politicians, which is problematic since those estimates significantly undercount the true scope of the epidemic for specific drugs,’ said Dr Troy Quast, an associate professor at the USF College of Public Health.
‘The rate of under-reporting for all overdose deaths in Florida is near the national average, so the problem is not to the state.’
Federal health officials say they are working to improve counting fatal overdoses.
For example, the CDC’s Enhanced State Opioid Overdose Surveillance program was recently awarded $13 million to speed up how quickly toxicology reports are filed.
Dr Quast believes efforts such as these will help enhance our understanding and improve the response to the drug misuse epidemic.