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Official Website

of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

    The .gov means its official.

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    Approximately every 2 hours, one Pennsylvanian died from a drug overdose as of 2023 fatal overdose surveillance data* collected and analyzed by the Department of Health. Of the 4,721 overdose deaths in 2023*, 82% were opioid-related and 76% involved fentanyl. Overdose rates among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are higher than rates among white and non-Hispanic individuals and show smaller decreases in rates than decreases seen in white and non-Hispanic individuals, demonstrating widening disparities.

    Naloxone, a medication that reverses opioid overdose, is available for any Pennsylvanian. Individuals can go to a participating pharmacy and secure naloxone for themselves or a family member under Pennsylvania's standing order prescription. Additionally, as of August 1, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three naloxone products for over the counter (OTC) use. This means naloxone is now available for purchase over the counter without a prescription in pharmacies, grocery stores, and convenience stores.

    *2023 death data is preliminary and subject to change, based on death record data reported to the Department of Health as of October 2024. Death investigations and overdose death records are often delayed by 3-6 months and 2023 counts will likely be higher than currently reported. 

    Patient Non-Opioid Directive

    The Pennsylvania Department of Health non-opioid directive allows patients to formally communicate that they do not wish to receive opioid medications as a part of their treatment plan. The non–opioid directive helps prescribers and patients begin a dialogue of substance use history and look at alternative methods of treatment. In addition, the directive may prevent inadvertently offering certain controlled substances to those who could be adversely affected. 

    Patient Advocacy Program

    If you are a patient who is prescribed controlled substance medication and have abruptly lost access to care, please visit the Patient Advocacy Program page.