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Latest news on fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is used medically for pain management, especially in patients with severe pain, such as cancer patients. It is a potent drug, much stronger than morphine, and is typically administered via injection, transdermal patch, or lozenge.

Fentanyl has been in the news in recent years due to its involvement in the opioid epidemic in the United States and other parts of the world. In 2019, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reported that more than 36,000 people in the United States died from opioid overdoses involving synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.

Illicitly produced fentanyl is often mixed with other drugs, such as heroin or cocaine, without the user's knowledge, increasing the risk of overdose. The potency of fentanyl also makes it more difficult to revive someone who has overdosed with naloxone, the opioid overdose reversal medication.

In response to the opioid epidemic, many governments and organisations have taken steps to increase awareness of the risks of fentanyl and to improve access to treatment for opioid addiction. Law enforcement agencies have also stepped up efforts to crack down on the production and distribution of illicit fentanyl.