This report describes overdose fatality review panels established in six states as of late 2017.
In the rapidly shifting contours of the opioid crisis, it is vital that governments, clinicians, and the public have access to timely, comprehensive data on overdose deaths. Unfortunately, such data are rarely available. A handful of states have established bodies that specifically review overdose deaths to provide additional data and, typically, make recommendations for policy improvements. This brief explains and contrasts the specifics of panels in the six states that have established them.