Wayne Macfadden MD, а Psychiatrist who formerly worked at Fort Totten, North Dakota, graduated with an MD from the Buffalo School of Medicine and completed a residency in psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the Global Medical Affairs and Sleep Therapeutic Area Lead with Jazz Pharmaceuticals in Philadelphia. As a Psychiatrist, Wayne Macfadden, MD, has devoted much of his career to helping those with substance use disorders and is concerned about the opioid crisis.

Opioid use disorder (OUD) has plagued the US for over two decades, with research showing its high prevalence and negative impact on the population. This crisis is characterized by the rampant epidemic of addiction, overdose, and misuse of opioids, powerful painkillers that act on opioid receptors in the brain, producing morphine-like effects. The COVID-19 pandemic further worsened the situation, as the lockdown and associated stress and depression led to a 30 percent increase in cases. Of the over 100,000 reported drug overdose cases in 2020, OUD accounted for around 76,000.

Opioid dependence has adverse consequences for users and their families. Users are at an elevated risk of contracting infectious illnesses, becoming depressed, and engaging in self-sabotaging behaviors. Further, OUD can affect a person's ability to participate in productive activities and support their family, straining family relationships.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has devised а strategy to address the opioid crisis. Its focus is on three areas: preventing new cases, helping those who are fighting addiction to recover, and utilizing data to improve prevention efforts and care.