Opioids: Timeline of NSC Activities - National Safety Council

The National Safety Council formally developed a strategy and dedicated its resources to fighting prescription drug overdose in 2012, after an NSC study five years earlier laid the groundwork for this important initiative. The study revealed prescription drug overdose was the fastest-rising cause of unintentional death in the U.S. However, the opioid epidemic is a rapidly evolving crisis. Since then, the primary driver of opioid overdose deaths shifted from prescription painkillers to heroin, and then to fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.

As this epidemic has changed, NSC has positioned itself as the resource for employers, families and prescribers on the opioid crisis. NSC has taken key steps towards eradicating this epidemic.

A Timeline

2020

February – In collaboration with dozens of partnership organizations, NSC released a comprehensive national plan to address opioid misuse and save lives, and urged presidential candidates to adopt in order to ensure opioid misuse in the U.S. is addressed thoroughly, thoughtfully and effectively
February – NSC and University of Michigan released a research review on youth prescription opioid misuse and prevention

2019

September – Unveiled the Prescribed to Death exhibit in Nassau County, NY
September – Released new Opioids at Work Employer Toolkit at a press event attended by VADM Jerome M. Adams, Surgeon General of the U.S.; Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor Loren Sweatt; Eric Talbot, assistant director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP); U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation President Carolyn Cawley; Stericycle CEO Cindy Miller; and Rex Butler, a safety professional and advocate who lost his brother to an opioid overdose
August – Observed the fifth International Overdose Awareness Day
May – Unveiled the Prescribed to Death exhibit in Albany, NY
March – Released a survey that showed 75% of employers say opioid use has impacted their workplace
January – Announced for the first time in U.S. history, accidental opioid overdoses surpassed motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of preventable death

2018

April – Unveiled the Prescribed to Death exhibit on the Ellipse in President's Park, outside the White House
April – Published the third edition of Prescription Nation
April – Unveiled the Prescribed to Death exhibit in Atlanta
March – Partnered with the White House, the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior to bring Prescribed to Death to the Ellipse in President's Park
January – Unveiled the Prescribed to Death exhibit in Pittsburgh

2017

November – Opened the Prescribed to Death exhibit, a memorial to the 22,000 people who die each year from prescription opioid overdose
November – Launched Stop Everyday Killers public service campaign to educate consumers about the dangers of opioid medication misuse
October – Attended President Trump's White House announcement declaring the opioid crisis a public health emergency
October – Co-hosted half-day event with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce focused on the role of employers in fighting the opioid overdose epidemic
September – Coordinated a sign-on letter with 25 other leading organizations to the President's Commission on Opioid Abuse and Overdose, with nine additional recommendations that were incorporated into the final report
August – Conducted third International Overdose Awareness Day
August – Sponsored Fed Up Rally and partnered with Fed Up to broadcast first virtual rally on Facebook
August – Called for FDA to remove high-dose opioid units from market
August – Released an Illinois consumer survey showing one in three Illinoisans are impacted by the opioid and heroin crisis
June – Met with new Office of National Drug Control Policy leadership at the White House
May – NSC physician speakers bureau educated more than 150 Illinois prescribers on safer opioid prescribing
March – Published findings of national employer survey
March – Released employer Substance Use Cost Calculator, developed with partners Shatterproof and National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago (NORC)
March – NSC physician speakers bureau educated more than 500 Maine prescribers on safe opioid prescribing

2016

December – Attended signing of the 21^st Century CURES act, which NSC supported
October – Partnered with American Academy of Family Physicians and American College of Physicians to sponsor systematic evidence review for acute pain treatment
September – Established NSC Physician Speakers bureau
September – Sponsored Fed Up Rally
August – Conducted second Overdose Awareness Day in Chicago's Federal Plaza
August – Participated in meeting with Surgeon General and ONDCP Director on efforts to fight the opioid overdose epidemic with other leading organizations
July – Supported passage of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA)
June – Published Prescription Nation 2016 report
March – Published results of the national prescriber survey
March – Met with HHS Secretary staff about efforts to fight the opioid crisis
February—Testified at U.S. Senate Aging Committee hearing on Opioid Use and Abuse Among Older Americans
January – Testified in support of CDC Opioid Prescribing Guideline for Chronic Pain at meeting of the CDC Board of Scientific Advisors

2015

December – Named to co-chair a committee on safe use and prevention for the Collaborative for Effective Prescription Opioid Policies (CEPOP), a leading national coalition
November – Commented to Federal Register in support of CDC opioid prescribing guideline
November – Published findings of Indiana employer survey
September – Supported adoption of Illinois Heroin Crisis Act legislation
September – Sponsored Fed Up Rally with speaker Dr. Don Teater
August – Conducted first NSC International Overdose Awareness Day event in Chicago's Federal Plaza
July – NSC CEO met with officials at HHS, FDA, ONDCP and DEA about NSC efforts to fight the epidemic
July – Submitted comments to Federal Register to support the addition of four commonly misused opioid pain medications to Federal employee workplace drug testing panel
July – Submitted comments to Federal Register to support the use of oral fluid drug testing in the Federal workplace drug testing program
June – Released Prescription Drug Community Action Kit
April/May – Testified in support of Texas legislation to increase access to naloxone
March – Released case study describing how Madison-Dane County, WI, drastically reduced prescription opioid and heroin deaths (Video)
March – Released results of national consumer survey regarding opioid pain medication use
February – Released report, The Psychological and Physical Side Effects of Pain Medication by Dr. Don Teater

2014

July – Released report, Proactive Role Employers Can Take: Opioids in the Workplace
July – Introduced free Prescription Drug Employer Kit
October – Released report, Evidence for the Efficacy of Pain Medications, by medical advisor Dr. Don Teater

2013

October – Released Prescription Nation report calling for state action to address the opioid crisis
March – Held prescription drug symposium "Preventing Prescription Drug Overdoses: A National Strategy"

2012

December – Convened prescription drug expert panel comprised of business leaders, medical and pharmacy professionals, insurance industry and government experts
June – Partnered with National Governor's Association to provide grants to seven states to develop statewide plan to address prescription drug misuse
May – Launched the NSC prescription drug overdose initiative

NSC: Sounding the Alarm on the Opioid Crisis