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Ethical Responsibilities of Physicians in the Opioid Crisis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2021

Abstract

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Type
Columns: Currents in Contemporary Bioethics
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of Law, Medicine and Ethics 2017

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References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, “Provisional Counts of Drug Overdose Deaths, as of 8/6/2017,” available at <https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/health_policy/monthly-drug-overdose-death-estimates.pdf> (last visited Sept. 6, 2017). See Katz, J., “New Count of 2016 Drug Deaths Shows Accelerated Rate,” New York Times, Sept. 3, 2017, at 14. It should be noted that the data slightly overestimate the number of deaths by substance because some overdose fatalities were the result of multiple drugs; but the data are based on state reports, which have a completeness of reporting of > 90%, and therefore slightly undercount the number of fatalities. It is not known precisely whether the over-counting and under-counting precisely cancel out. See Provisional Counts, supra at 2, Notes on Data Quality.+(last+visited+Sept.+6,+2017).+See+Katz,+J.,+“New+Count+of+2016+Drug+Deaths+Shows+Accelerated+Rate,”+New+York+Times,+Sept.+3,+2017,+at+14.+It+should+be+noted+that+the+data+slightly+overestimate+the+number+of+deaths+by+substance+because+some+overdose+fatalities+were+the+result+of+multiple+drugs;+but+the+data+are+based+on+state+reports,+which+have+a+completeness+of+reporting+of+>+90%,+and+therefore+slightly+undercount+the+number+of+fatalities.+It+is+not+known+precisely+whether+the+over-counting+and+under-counting+precisely+cancel+out.+See+Provisional+Counts,+supra+at+2,+Notes+on+Data+Quality.>Google Scholar
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