The dangers of opioid addiction are real for those suffering from chronic pain. During 2015 alone, drug overdoses accounted for 52,404 deaths in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Out of that number, 33,091, or a little over 63 percent, involved an opioid. For context, about 43,000 people in the US died due to HIV/AIDS during the height of the epidemic in 1995.The numbers continue to look bleak. A report from STAT forecasts that the annual opioid death rate in the US could climb to as high as 94,000 in 2027.

Source: Can tech replace painkillers?