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On Stay Safe Rx you will find current events and resources advocating for safe prescription labeling practices. When patients struggle to see, read or understand their prescription labels they are more likely to take the wrong medication, take it improperly, or not take it at all. Pharmacies can make prescription labels more accessible by incorporating dual-language, audible, large print, Braille, plain language, and user-friendly designs. Check out the resources in the side bar to assist your own advocacy efforts or browse through posts to see what others are working on or have achieved.

What is the US Opioid Epidemic?

  • In the late 1990's, pharmaceutical companies reassured the medical community that patients would not become addicted to opioid pain relievers and healthcare providers began to prescribe them at greater rates.
  • Increased prescription of opioid medications led to widespread misuse of both prescription and non-prescription opioids before it became clear that these medications could indeed be highly addictive.
  • In 2017 HHS declared a public health emergency and announced a 5-Point Strategy To Combat the Opioid Crisis
  • Visit the Department of Health and Human Services web page on the opiod epidemic for more information and statistics.
Opioids Information Graphic, link to accessible version follows

Download the Opioid Epidemic in the U.S. The Opioids By The Numbers” graphic and PDF are currently undergoing 508 review. Assistive technology users should email 508helpdesk@hhs.gov.
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