In this podcast geared towards healthcare professionals, we answer: • Why is the opioid epidemic so important right now? • How has the NIH and other federal and state entities changed their approach to the opioid epidemic over the course of the last 1.5 years? • How has opioid use changed throughout the years? • What are the research areas that still need to be addressed? • What are some practical ways healthcare professionals can change their prescribing patterns and how they work with patients with opioid use dependence or disorder?