Against The Pain: The Opioid Crisis And Medication Access

WAMU 88.5 | By Chris Remington

Published November 11, 2021 at 8:25 AM EST

Tablets of opioid painkiller Oxycodon delivered on medical prescription taken in Washington, DC.

Over the past 10 years, the CDC found more than 500,000 Americans died from a drug overdose involving painkillers. Doctors and pharmacists are now under increased pressure to reduce the amount of opioid drugs they prescribe to their patients.

They’re using technology to address the problem.

The software NarxCare is used by thousands of hospitals and pharmacies across the country, distilling information from states’ drug databases and creating profiles of patients. Their algorithm is designed to identify individuals who may be at risk for drug addiction and overdoses.

But is new technology locking patients out of pain medication they may need?

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