Kennedy Renews Emergency Declaration to Address Opioid Crisis
WASHINGTON — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has renewed a public health emergency declaration aimed at curbing the nation’s stubborn opioid abuse crisis.
The emergency, first declared by President Donald Trump during his first term, was set to expire on March 21.
Kennedy’s renewal extends the emergency for 90 days.
“Although overdose deaths are starting to decline, opioid-involved overdoses remain the leading cause of drug-related fatalities,” the secretary said in a written statement.
“This administration is going to treat this urgent crisis in American health as the national security emergency that it is,” Kennedy said.
“Renewing the Opioid Public Health Emergency Declaration affirms the administration’s commitment to addressing the opioid overdose crisis and is one of many critical steps we will take to Make America Healthy Again,” he added.
The declaration of a public health emergency has enabled the department to carry out voluntary information collections, expedite demonstration projects related to substance use disorder treatment, and expedite support for research on opioid use disorder treatments.
According to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there was a 25.5% decrease in overdose deaths in the 12 months ending October 2024 compared with the same period in 2023.
Despite this, it is estimated that 150 Americans die every day from overdose involving illegal, synthetic opioids such as illegally made fentanyl, and, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drug overdoses remain the leading cause of death among Americans aged 18-44.
Dan can be reached at [email protected] and @DanMcCue
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