Key points

The history behind our opioid epidemic is complicated and bears review to understand the way forward.

Naloxone is a great tool to reverse overdoses.

Naltrexone remains a great tool to prevent relapse and overdoses.

We should look at rethinking the strategies behind naltrexone use if we want to end the opioid epidemic.

The opioid epidemic that started in the late 1990s has taken a staggering toll. We have lost more people to drug overdoses than in all the wars since the beginning of the past century. Sadly, although the overdose deaths have come down, we are nowhere close to declaring the end of the opioid epidemic, as was the case in the 1980s. Looking back at the successes of the past can help us understand why we've in many ways failed this time around.

The heroin epidem

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