A new fentanyl vaccine looks promising – but treating drug addiction needs a more complex approach

The US and Canada are in the middle of an opioid epidemic. But opioid use is a growing problem in other countries too. Opioid-related deaths make up the largest proportion of drug-related fatalities across the UK, with an average of 40 a week. From patients who have become dependent on prescription painkillers to people addicted to newer, more potent synthetic opioids called nitazenes, new treatments for opioid abuse are desperately needed.