• COVID-19

    Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Opioid crisis worsens during COVID-19 pandemic

close up on a bottle of prescription drugs and hydrocodone pills falling out of it

Stress, isolation and limited access to resources are fueling rising rates of substance abuse and overdoses during the COVID-19 pandemic. While coronavirus has been the focus of so much attention this year, the opioid crisis has continued unabated and has even worsened. More than 40 states have reported increases in opioid related deaths, according to the American Medical Association.

On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Tyler Oesterle, a psychiatrist and addiction expert at Mayo Clinic, discusses opioid use disorders and treatment options, including virtual medicine available during the pandemic. 


Watch: Dr. Tyler Oesterle discusses treatment for opioid use disorder

For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was recorded prior to COVID-19 or in an area not designated for patient care, where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.

Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting. Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific understanding, along with guidelines and recommendations, may have changed since the original publication date.  

For more information and all your COVID-19 coverage, go to the Mayo Clinic News Network and mayoclinic.org.