Study reveals thousands of uncounted opioid deaths, raising concerns about treatment funding.
A new study from King’s College London shows that thousands of opioid-related deaths in England and Wales were missing from official government statistics. Between 2011 and 2022, researchers found that 39,232 deaths linked to opioids were not counted, a figure more than 50% higher than previously reported. These numbers include deaths from heroin as well as synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. Experts warn that this undercount may have affected government decisions on public health funding, addiction treatment programs, and policing strategies.
The problem appears to come from how death data is collected. Official statistics rely on coroners naming specific substances on death certificates, but this detail is often missing. Many cases are only recorded in more detailed post-mortem or toxicology reports, which the government’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) does not automatically access. This means deaths caused by heroin or other opioids are sometimes not included in the main statistics, giving a distorted picture of the scale of the crisis.
Families of those lost to addiction feel the impact of these gaps personally. Hilary, whose son Ben died from a heroin overdose in 2018, explained that his death was classified as “misadventure” and did not appear in the official opioid death records. Ben had struggled with drugs from his teenage years, moving from cannabis to aerosols and eventually heroin. Hilary said that at one point Ben seemed to be improving and had been offered a place in rehab, but his tolerance had fallen during a break from use, which contributed to his fatal overdose. She believes better treatment and support could have made a difference.
The King’s College team, led by Dr. Caroline Copeland, used coroner reports to create a more accurate estimate of opioid-related deaths. Their analysis shows that drug policies will have limited effect unless the true scale of the problem is known. They also pointed out that the lack of specificity on death certificates affects planning and funding for health services. Similar undercounts have been identified in deaths from other drugs, including cocaine, where thousands of cases were also missed in official statistics over the past decade.
Police and public health officials say more accurate data could lead to better support for front-line services. David Sidwick, representing the National Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, said that understanding the real number of deaths would help direct funds for treatment programs and allow for new treatment methods, such as buprenorphine injections, which can help people overcome heroin addiction.
Political leaders have called for urgent action. The Liberal Democrats are demanding a government investigation to ensure that ONS has full access to the data it needs so that errors cannot happen again. Critics say that past policies may have failed or been underfunded because decisions were based on incomplete information, potentially costing lives.
The ONS has acknowledged that death registrations sometimes lack detail on the specific drugs involved, and it encourages coroners to provide more complete information to improve future statistics. Scotland avoids this problem because its National Records Scotland receives detailed pathology reports, but differences in reporting across the UK make nationwide comparisons difficult.
As the number of opioid deaths continues to rise, understanding the true scope of the crisis is increasingly urgent. Accurate data can guide funding, shape effective public health responses, and improve treatment access. Families, researchers, and officials all stress that uncovering missing cases is not just a matter of numbers—it is a step toward saving lives and offering better support to those struggling with addiction.
Sources:
Thousands of opioid deaths missed off official figures
Opioid-related deaths in past decade 55% higher than recorded
Join the conversation!