State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS)

Description

CDC-based SUDORS collects data on unintentional and undetermined intent drug overdose deaths from death certificates, medical examiner or coroner reports, and postmortem toxicology results.

How the Community can use the Data

SUDORS provides detailed information on unintentional and undetermined drug overdose deaths, helping communities understand who is most affected and what substances are involved. Public health agencies can use this data to track trends, target prevention efforts, and evaluate policies. Community groups and service providers can use the findings to support education, outreach, and harm reduction programs that address local needs.

Data Limitations

SUDORS only includes fatal overdoses, so it does not capture non-fatal events. The system relies on the availability and accuracy of death certificates, toxicology reports, and medical examiner or coroner records, which may vary across cases or jurisdictions. In some instances, substance involvement or circumstances of death may be unclear or underreported, limiting the completeness of the data.