CDC: "Fentanyl and Carfentanil in US Drug Overdose Deaths from 2021-2024"

Data Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on December 06, 2024

The CDC has recently released a report describing the role of fentanyl and carfentanil in US drug overdose deaths.

It shows the recent decrease in opioid overdose deaths identified in the SUDORS dataset. The portion of deaths due to illegally manufactured fentanyl drugs continues to be around 70%. The data shows a sevenfold increase in the number of carfentanil deaths, although the overall number of deaths due to carefentanil remains low.

The report highlights the importance of maintaining systems that can adapt to other potent opioids beyond fentanyl.

Below are the summary from the article and the main figure. Please visit the report to learn more.

Summary

What is already known about this topic?

Approximately 70% of U.S. overdose deaths in 2023 were estimated to involve illegally manufactured fentanyls (IMFs). Local reports indicate reemergence of carfentanil, a fentanyl analog.

What is added by this report?

Overdose deaths overall and with IMFs detected began declining in 2023. Percentages of overdose deaths with IMFs detected were stable (approximately 70%–80%) during 2021–2024, except in the West where the percentage increased from 48.5% to 66.5%. Although rare, deaths with carfentanil detected increased approximately sevenfold, from 29 during January–June 2023 to 238 during January–June 2024; 37 states reported carfentanil detection.

What are the implications for public health practice?

Overdose prevention efforts that address widespread presence of IMFs, including carfentanil, and can rapidly adapt to other potent opioids in the drug supply, might result in lasting reductions in overdose deaths across the United States.

Report URL: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7348a2.htm

Authored by Dr. Josh Eyer on 12/06/2024