(Source: CIGNA Corporation) WASHINGTON, 19 May, 2016 - Cigna today outlined steps to curb the country's opioid epidemic, starting with cutting the use of those drugs among its own customers by 25 percent over three years. Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S., with 47,055 lethal drug overdoses in 2014. Opioid addiction is driving this epidemic, with 18,893 overdose deaths related to prescription pain relievers, and 10,574 overdose deaths related to heroin in 2014.* The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention reports that use of narcotic painkillers has quadrupled in the past 10 years. 'To respond to this crisis, all stakeholders - patients, physicians...
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