What is fentanyl and why is it behind the deadly surge in US drug overdoses?

Kavita Babu, MD, professor of emergency medicine, writes for The Conversation about illicitly manufactured fentanyl that is driving the increasing number of opioid overdose deaths.

Q&A: Fentanyl's growth among overdoses 'stunning' - UW Medicine

Fentanyl-related overdose deaths lead record-setting surge of more than 100K lives lost to drugs

Increases in Drug and Opioid Overdose Deaths — United States, 2000–2014

Fentanyl-laced cocaine behind Kalamazoo County overdoses

Drug overdose data spotlight fentanyl's deadly westward expansion - Los Angeles Times

People rot from the inside out': lethal xylazine deepens the US drug crisis

What is fentanyl and why is it so dangerous?

Fentanyl vaccine potential 'game changer' for opioid epidemic

It's crazy out there': The reasons behind Oregon's deepening drug crisis - OPB