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A study published in the journal Decision Analysis unveils a powerful new tool to tackle the opioid crisis, offering a pathway to slash costs by nearly 30% while saving lives.
“This groundbreaking research provides a roadmap to balance prevention and harm-reduction efforts effectively, potentially saving thousands of lives,” says Sina Ansari of DePaul University.
With synthetic opioids such as fentanyl driving record-high overdose deaths—more than 100,000 annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—the urgency for effective solutions has never been greater. The study presents a dynamic decision-making tool that uses advanced mathematical modeling to optimize resource allocation in response to the epidemic’s trajectory.
Strategies that work
“Our findings show that smarter spending can make a real difference,” says Shakiba Enayati of the University of Missouri–Saint Louis. “By focusing on both prevention and immediate harm-reduction measures, public health agencies can save lives while significantly lowering costs.”
The study, titled “Curbing the Opioid Crisis: Optimal Dynamic Policies for Preventive and Mitigating Interventions,” emphasizes the dual importance of preventive strategies such as monitoring prescriptions to prevent addiction, and harm-reduction measures, such as distributing naloxone to reverse overdoses. By tailoring interventions to the specific needs of communities, this tool enhances both short- and long-term outcomes.
“This tool is ready for real-world use, offering practical solutions to help communities respond to the opioid crisis in real time and adapt to changing conditions,” concluded Raha Akhavan-Tabatabaei of Sabancı University.
More information:
Sina Ansari et al, Curbing the Opioid Crisis: Optimal Dynamic Policies for Preventive and Mitigating Interventions, Decision Analysis (2024). DOI: 10.1287/deca.2023.0084
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Novel tool slashes opioid crisis costs by 30%, could save lives (2025, February 20)
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