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REPORT – In this archive photo of June 26, 2018, Secretary of Social Services and Health, Alex Azar, speaks at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee at Capitol Hill, Washington. According to Azar, the number of drug overdose deaths began to stabilize after years of relentless increases due to the opioid epidemic. But Azar warned Tuesday in a speech that it was too early to declare victory. Still, the head of health said late last year and by the beginning of this year, the number of deaths "began to peak". lessREPORT – In this archive photo of June 26, 2018, Secretary of Social Services and Health, Alex Azar, speaks at a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee at Capitol Hill, Washington. Azar says the number of drug overdoses … more
Photo: Jacquelyn Martin, AP
Photo: Jacquelyn Martin, AP
WASHINGTON (AP) – US Secretary of Health Alex Azar said the number of drug overdose deaths had begun to stabilize after years of steady increases due to the opioid epidemic.
Azar warned Tuesday that it was too early to declare his victory.
However, he said that towards the end of last year and until the beginning of this year, the number of deaths "began to peak".
About 70,000 people died of a drug overdose last year, according to preliminary figures released this summer by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an increase of 10% over 2016.
However, interim accounts put online by the CDC indicate that a slight leveling has begun towards the end of 2017.
The fight against the opioid epidemic has been the rare problem that unites Republicans and Democrats in a politically divided country.
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