Just about every day we hear the phrase "opioid crisis" as Americans become more addicted to painkillers. But researchers at the University of North Carolina are working on painkillers that don't addict.
Dr. John Dyben at Origins Recovery Centers says we need to fund this.
"The University of North Carolina has made some really breakthrough work but it's in the beginning stages."
Dr. Dyben says these would be pills that don't cause hallucinations, dependency and death.
"Addiction as an epidemic is becoming such a killer -- it's the leading cause of accidental death in our nation."
As always with pharmaceuticals, a major worry will be cost.
"We could probably bring a lot of lifesaving drugs down but that's gonna require us as a nation being willing to invest in this research and to say health care is a top priority."
Dr. Dyben says the researchers believe they can develop a painkiller that activates a different brain receptor than found in opioids. But this research is in its infancy and it may take several years to bring these pills to market.