SAN FRANCISCO — Emergency-room visits linked to abuse of prescription painkillers have more than doubled in five years, straining the nation’s public health system, a recent study revealed.
Urgent action is needed to address this health threat, Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Thursday in San Francisco during a talk to the Commonwealth Club about public health.
“Overdose with prescription drugs is one of the most serious and fastest-growing problems in this country,” he said.
“At the federal level, we need to look at action to target pill mills that distribute large amounts” of such drugs, he said. “At the state level, states need to look at the prescribing laws and ensure that they’re strong enough.”
