Opioid use disorder is a chronic lifelong disorder, with serious potential consequences including disability, relapses, and death. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition describes opioid use disorder as a problematic pattern of opioid use leading to problems or distress.

There were an estimated 20.4 million people living with a SUD in the United States in 2019, with an estimated 10.1 million living with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). In 2020, there were 68,630 opioid-related overdose deaths in the United States at a rate of 21.4 deaths per 100,000 Americans.