The opioid crisis continues to devastate the U.S. In 2021, over 107,000 people died from drug overdoses. The annual economic cost of this crisis exceeds $1 trillion annually.
But what makes some people addicted and others not? New research says it could be all in their genes.
“I tried my first drug at the age of 12, and then I quickly progressed to the one I liked the most, which was opiates,” said recovering addict James Fata.
“I could not stop. No matter the years would pass. I would try, and then things just got really bad,” recalled recovering addict John Cunningham.
The FDA estimates more than 6.1 million people over the age of 12 have an opioid use disorder or OUD. But why?
“We have people who are injured, people who have surgeries. All these people are being prescribed opioids, and yet only a very small subset of those go on to develop opioid use disorder. But there’s no real screening tool that says de novo if I expose you to opioids who might be at increased risk,” explained Dr. Caroline Freirmuth with the University of Cincinnati ER.
She led a team in emergency rooms throughout Ohio to try and identify a genetic link. Each participant was asked several questions to determine past traumatic events, family history, medications and mental health.
“Some of those puts you at an increased risk. And some of those puts you at a decreased risk,” Freirmuth told Ivanhoe.
Knowing this is the first step to helping patients at risk of becoming addicted and creating personalized pain management where doctors may one day tailor opioid prescriptions based on a patient’s genetic makeup.
The FDA approved the first over-the-counter drug, naloxone nasal spray, last year to help reduce drug overdose deaths. Naloxone is a lifesaving emergency treatment that reverses opioid overdose, and can be administered with or without medical training.