Opioid vaccine in the works, could be 'game changer for addiction,' researcher says

Research is underway to develop a twice-per-year vaccine that may help people overcome opioid addiction.

Fentanyl was named the deadliest drug in America by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in recent years, beating out heroin and oxycodone. Authorities marked a 113% increase per year between 2013 and 2016 in the number of deaths involving the drug. Fentanyl, which is both cheap to produce and is often used by dealers to lace other illegal narcotics with, also poses a risk to first responders or those unaware of its presence as it can be absorbed through the skin. The opioid crisis has been further fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the CDC recently estimated that 87,000 people died of drug overdoses in the 12 months ending in September 2020. In 2018, the agency had noted that overdose deaths were dropping for the first time in decades.