• Posted September 1, 2026

CDC Launches New Channel To Track US Overdose Deaths And Provide Resources

Federal health officials have launched a web page that gathers the nation's drug overdose numbers, prevention tips and treatment resources into a single place.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) opened the Overdose Prevention Data Channel on Monday, timing it to International Overdose Awareness Day.

The site's latest figures estimate 67,798 drug overdose deaths in the United States during the 12 months that ended in March. That is a 12.3% drop from the same stretch a year earlier.

Those death counts are provisional, meaning they are early estimates that can shift later. Investigations into an overdose death can take months to finish.

Nonfatal overdoses are easing too, though more slowly. Suspected overdoses accounted for 54.7 of every 10,000 emergency room visits between April 2025 and March of this year, a 2.6% decline from the year before.

The channel pulls from three CDC tracking systems: one that counts deaths using death certificates, one that digs into coroner and medical examiner reports for details about each death, and one that watches emergency room visits for suspected overdoses. 

Visitors can pick a state and a time period to see how local trends compare with the rest of the country.

"CDC wants to ensure maximum transparency to empower patients, providers and other stakeholders as we continue our battle against the opioid epidemic," CDC Director Dr. Erica Schwartz said. "Data modernization is critical to that effort."

One section of the site focuses on chances to step in before an overdose turns deadly. 

Among 41 states, 66 of every 100 people who died of an overdose in 2025 had at least one such moment, preliminary data show.

Those moments included having someone nearby who could have recognized the overdose and called for help, a mental health condition that was known or being treated, an earlier overdose, a recent release from jail or prison or ongoing treatment for a substance use disorder.

"The most useful data does more than show us what has happened; it helps us decide what to do next," said Grant Baldwin, director of the CDC's Division of Overdose Prevention in Atlanta.

The continued drop in predicted deaths is encouraging but not a finish line, he added. Clearer data lets communities tailor resources and strengthen prevention, Baldwin said.

The site also links to guidance on spotting an opioid overdose and to prevention programs the agency funds in states and communities.

Drug overdoses remain the leading injury-related cause of death among U.S. adults, according to the CDC.

Anyone who needs help for drug or alcohol issues can talk to a doctor or call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's national helpline at 800-662-HELP (4357).

More information

Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more information about preventing drug overdoses.

SOURCE: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Aug. 31, 2026