The COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in depression and anxiety, along with an increase in opioid use and overdose while emergency needs for COVID-19 vaccination and treatment captured the health community’s attention, and the focus on substance abuse treatment faltered. As a result of the worsening mental health issues and decreased attention to substance use, the United States saw an increase in alcohol and opioid use, resulting in additional comorbidities and deaths. Precision’s Cynthia Miller and Maureen Hennessey discuss actions pharmaceutical companies can take as well as policy changes they should support to help address the crisis.
