The field of Medicine is ever expanding, day-by-day, due to the constant advancements in medical knowledge. Diseases that were once considered to be incurable now have treatments that allow patients to live long, healthy lives, without the hindrance of disease processes. Due to this, it is important to take advantage of the wealth of information present and translate that into something meaningful which could have a positive impact on patient outcomes, reducing both morbidity and mortality rates. Research and innovation is the future of medicine, and a guiding principle of Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM).

The Opioid Crises is a serious issue which is currently affecting the whole continental United States. It has reached such a critical stage that the epidemic has been addressed by all levels of government, and even the Surgeon General, himself, voiced his concerns for the future generations.

Each and every day, more than 90 Americans die after overdosing on opioids. The misuse of and addiction to opioids—including prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl—is a serious national crisis that affects public health as well as social and economic welfare. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the total “economic burden” of prescription opioid misuse alone in the United States is $78.5 billion a year, including the costs of healthcare, lost productivity, addiction treatment, and criminal justice involvement.

In the traditional stream, patients who suffered from opioid/anxiolytic dependence were tapered off of their substances of abuse, expected to maintain sobriety, fight the urges and cravings while, at the same time, re-integrate into society as a productive, contributing member. This can have its toll on the patient, both physically, and psychologically. As a result of this, relapse rates remain high amongst this demographic, and many of them just fall into a vicious cycle.