SoylentNews

takyon [soylentnews.org] writes:

U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams has urged more Americans to carry [npr.org] the opioid overdose reversal treatment naloxone [wikipedia.org], known under brand names such as Narcan and Evzio. However, the drug and its delivery systems have become more expensive in recent years:

As opioid-related deaths have continued to climb [cdc.gov], naloxone, a drug that can reverse overdoses, has become an important part of the public health response. When people overdosing struggle to breathe, naloxone can restore normal breathing and save their lives. But the drug has to be given quickly.

On Thursday, U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams [surgeongeneral.gov] issued an advisory that encouraged more people to routinely carry naloxone. "The call to action is to recognize if you're at risk," he tells Morning Edition's Rachel Martin. "And if you or a loved one are at risk, keep within reach, know how to use naloxone."

[...] The medicine is now available at retail pharmacies in most states without a prescription. Between 2013 and 2015, researchers found [aphapublications.org] a tenfold increase in naloxone sold by retail pharmacies in the U.S. But prices have increased along with demand [npr.org]. Naloxone-filled syringes that used to cost $6 apiece now cost $30 and up. A two-pack of naloxone nasal spray can cost $135 or more [goodrx.com]. And a two-pack of automatic naloxone injectors runs more than $3,700 [goodrx.com]. And while it's true that naloxone can prevent many opioid-related deaths, it doesn't solve the root cause of the problem.

Also at NYT [nytimes.com] and CNN [cnn.com].

Related: Kroger Supermarkets to Carry Naloxone Without a Prescription [soylentnews.org]
Chicago Jail Handing Out Naloxone to Inmates Upon Release [soylentnews.org]
Opioid Crisis Official; Insys Therapeutics Billionaire Founder Charged; Walgreens Stocks Narcan [soylentnews.org]

Original Submission