Counterfeit Prescription Pills Causing Surge in Drug Overdose Deaths, CDC Study Finds
New research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed a significant increase in drug overdose deaths caused by counterfeit prescription pills in recent years. According to the study, the percentage of overdose deaths associated with fake drugs has more than doubled between 2019 and 2021. Many of these deaths were a result of illicit fentanyl-laced pills that were mislabeled and sold as other opioid painkillers.
The United States has seen a continuous rise in drug overdose deaths, with an estimated 105,000 deaths recorded last year alone. Concurrently, evidence from the Drug Enforcement Administration suggests that counterfeit drugs increasingly contain fentanyl and other potentially fatal substances. To further understand these trends, CDC scientists analyzed data from the agency’s State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS), which collects information on overdose deaths nationwide.
Between 2019 and 2021, approximately 100,000 overdose deaths were documented through SUDORS. While only a small percentage of these deaths originally involved counterfeit pills, the percentage increased significantly over time. In the third quarter of 2019, counterfeit pill use was evident in 2% of overdose deaths. However, by the fourth quarter of 2021, that number had risen to 4.7%. In certain Western jurisdictions, the percentage of these deaths reached a staggering 14.7%. In total, about 4.4% of overdose deaths in 2021 had evidence of counterfeit pill use.
The findings, published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, indicate shifts in the illicit drug market. Suppliers now frequently pass off fentanyl-containing pills as legal prescription opioids with lower potency. Notably, approximately 93% of drug overdose deaths involving counterfeit drugs featured fentanyl, either taken alone or in combination with other substances. Of those deaths, 41% involved fentanyl exclusively. More than half of these fatalities were linked to pills sold as oxycodone. Benzodiazepines, commonly used to treat anxiety and insomnia, also attracted the attention of counterfeit drug manufacturers, who mixed them with other substances like alcohol to enhance their euphoric effects.
The study authors emphasize the need for greater education on the dangers of counterfeit drugs. They note that these deaths were more prevalent among younger individuals, Hispanic or Latino populations, and those with a history of prescription drug misuse. Therefore, prevention strategies should be tailored to these specific groups. Additionally, implementing drug testing measures that allow individuals to verify the safety of their drugs before consumption could potentially save lives.
The authors conclude, “Overdose deaths might be reduced with effective prevention messaging by federal, state, and local public health entities that 1) highlights the dangers of pills obtained illicitly or without a prescription, 2) emphasizes the importance of taking only pills that were prescribed, and 3) encourages drug product testing.” It is clear that immediate action is necessary to combat the rising threat of counterfeit prescription pills and protect the well-being of those affected.