FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — New research from the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement (ACHI) shows a quadruple increase in prescriptions being filled for the drug naloxone.
Naloxone is used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
This increase is likely due to a new law in the state making it so many people prescribed an opioid also have to take home naloxone from the pharmacy. The law, Act 651 of 2021, went into effect in July 2021.
“I was told by someone that they were having their high school 15-year-old carry it at school just so that, you know, if they came upon a situation where they thought that there might be an overdose,” said Julie Stewart, a pharmacist at Medical Arts Pharmacy in Fayetteville.
Arkansas is actively fighting against the growing number of opioid overdose-related deaths through the use of naloxone.
Craig Wilson, the representative for ACHI said, "Naloxone is a good thing, you got to get it in us where there's potential for an overdose to happen. So saturating areas where that is potentially going to be critical."
According to ACHI, while the number of naloxone-filled prescriptions has increased, the same study showed doctors are prescribing opioids less.
“Doctors are either required or encouraged to prescribe naloxone with all opioid prescriptions, even if it's just for after a dental procedure or something like that. But also we have seen an uptick in street drug usage with a decrease in opioid prescriptions. So, that’s resulted in an increased need for naloxone to be available to EMTs, hospitals, and emergency rooms," Stewart said.
With that uptick in street drugs, ACHI says harm reduction with the use of naloxone is only a piece of the puzzle.
"You can save lives through harm reduction. But you have to start on the front end through prevention efforts, through access to treatment, harm reduction, and as well as recovery support on the back end for folks with the decision to enter into recovery and provide them with sufficient support so they don't return to their drug habits," Wilson said.
With the new law allowing naloxone to be prescribed alongside opioids, the goal is for people to safely take their pain medicine.
While naloxone can be prescribed under Arkansas law, you can also get it over the counter at your local pharmacy.
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