Oxycodone at the Crossroads of Pain Management, Misuse, and Toxicological Investigation

Background

Since the 1990s, the United States has been facing the recurring problem of widespread misuse, addiction and overdoses involving opioid compounds. This phenomenon is known as the opioid crisis or the opioid epidemic. Every day, around 200 Americans die due to opioid use. Nowadays the country is facing the fourth wave, dominated by fentanyl combined with stimulants. The problem of opioid abuse is not confined to the United States alone, but is a global issue.