Direct Relief and Pfizer today announced that their collaborative video with GET Creative (USA TODAY’s creative studio), “Shedding Light on the Deepening Opioid Crisis,” has been honored with five Telly Awards. The video highlights the impact of the opioid reversal initiative and received recognition in the following categories:

• SILVER | Branded Content General-Fitness, Health & Wellness
• SILVER | Branded Content General-Social Impact
• SILVER | Branded Content General-Pharmaceutical
• BRONZE | Branded Content General-Corporate Image
• BRONZE | Branded Content General-People’s Telly

The Telly Awards, judged by industry leaders and creative professionals, celebrate outstanding video and television productions. This year’s competition attracted over 13,000 entries from 50 countries.

Addressing a National Crisis

The opioid crisis continues to be a devastating public health emergency in the United States. Over 150 deaths occur daily due to synthetic opioids like fentanyl, with overdose deaths quadrupling in the past decade.

“The opioid crisis is a public health crisis,” said Caroline Roan, Senior Vice President of Global Health and Social Impact at Pfizer Inc. “As part of our commitment to advancing breakthroughs that change patients’ lives, we’re proud to partner with Direct Relief to make Pfizer-donated opioid overdose reversal medication available at no cost to qualified U.S. nonprofit healthcare providers and local public health departments on the frontlines of the opioid epidemic.”

Direct Relief supports around 1,500 community health centers and clinics nationwide to ensure life-saving medications reach those who need them most. Since 2017, over 2.6 million doses of opioid-reversing medication have been delivered by Direct Relief through its initiative with Pfizer.

“These medications are crucial for treating substance use disorders,” said Katie Lewis, Regional Director of U.S. Programs at Direct Relief. “Providing them consistently has been transformative.”