CDC: Potentially preventable deaths from unintentional injuries up 23%

While the number of potentially preventable deaths in the U.S. declined overall from 2010 to 2014, potentially preventable deaths from unintentional injuries increased 23%, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rise was largely driven by deaths related to drug poisoning and falls, which rose 25% and 12%, respectively. “Fewer Americans are dying young from preventable causes of death," said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D. "Tragically, deaths from overdose are increasing because of the opioid epidemic, and there are still large differences between states in all preventable causes of death, indicating that many more lives can be saved through use of prevention and treatment available today."