A record number of Americans died from drug overdoses in 2021 after an estimated 100,000 were reported dead, according to a new study by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

On Wednesday, the NCHS published an updated study that examined the number of drug overdoses and it found that approximately 107,622 people died from overdoses in 2021, a 15% increase from the estimated 93,655 deaths that were seen in 2020.

One reason why the number of deaths likely grew was a result of the continued disruptions created by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the virus forced many healthcare centers and treatment facilities to close, preventing people from receiving assistance temporarily.

As evidence that the denial of access to treatment services pushed up overdose deaths, the NCHS recorded a 30% leap in the number of deaths from 2019 to 2020. This trend has seemingly continued through 2021.

With COVID-19 restrictions significantly relaxed from where they were in 2020, the number of deaths from overdoses in 2021 was higher but they grew at a slower rate than the previous year. According to the NCHS, there was a 15% total increase in overdose deaths in 2021, half of what was seen in 2020.

However, the fact the number of deaths now surpasses the 100,000 mark remains a concerning development for public health officials.

“It is unacceptable that we are losing a life to overdose every five minutes around the clock," Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, told Axios.

On April 21, the Biden administration submitted its first national drug control strategy to Congress that prioritizes addressing untreated addiction and increasing funding for treatments for overdose treatments.

RELATED STORIES
Healthcare CDC