Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Save Lives

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Repeated use of opioids changes the brain and can cause opioid use disorder (OUD). Medications for OUD are effective and save lives, but stigma, misunderstanding, regulatory restrictions, and financing challenges can prevent the people who need them from accessing them. This is one family’s story.

We were drawn to an illustrative approach with colors inspired by the published report from the National Academies.

But most importantly, we wanted to bring an authentic narrator to this piece. By keeping the characters anonymous, the story is narrated by one voice but is not an experience unlike others living with Opioid Use Disorder.