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Tag: Narcan

  • Project Overdose warns of highly potent opioid in local drug supply ahead of EDC Orlando



    An overdose prevention nonprofit is warning visitors to Orlando this weekend to remain vigilant about their use of party drugs, especially at the three-day Electrical Daisy Carnival, following the detection of a highly-potent tranquilizer in the local street drug supply.

    According to Project Overdose, the powerful synthetic opioid carfentanil has been detected in a range of counterfeit pills and powders throughout Orange and Seminole counties. 

    Considered roughly 100 times more potent than the synthetic opioid fentanyl, carfentanil has been implicated in a rising number of overdose deaths in recent years. It’s a powerful central nervous system depressant, originally manufactured as an elephant tranquilizer, that can be deadly for humans if even a small amount is ingested.

    “Even by fentanyl standards, carfentanil is extraordinarily lethal,” said Andrae Bailey, founder and CEO of Project Overdose. “The data show it’s circulating again in the Orlando area, and it’s probably not confined to opioids.”  

    Although it’s unclear which drugs carfentanil is specifically being mixed into, Bailey told Orlando Weekly that it’s most likely to be mixed into cocaine, meth, or counterfeit pills and powders sold to partygoers as MDMA or prescription painkillers. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, just 0.2 milligrams of carfentanil can be lethal. “A single dose can end a life in seconds,” Bailey warned.

    Although drug overdose deaths last year declined in Florida and across the U.S., powerful fentanyl analogs like carfentanil have remained at the center of the nation’s overdose crisis.

    According to provisional data, Florida saw 5,364 overdose deaths in 2024, down from 8,227 fatal overdoses in 2020. Nationwide, more than 82,000 people died of fatal drug overdose last year, down from over 107,000 U.S. overdose deaths in 2022.

    “We are all about harm reduction and trying to keep people safe,” said Bailey, adding, “We’re kidding ourselves if we think that there’s not going to be drugs at EDC.”

    Nonetheless, he said, “We think they [EDC attendees] should know that there’s a wave just recently of incredibly dangerous carfentanil, and that people need to be more alert than ever.” If you’re taking drugs and you’re not sure what’s in them, “you could be risking your life.”

    “People need to be more alert than ever”

    Andrae Bailey, CEO and founder of Project Overdose

    Dr. Kendall Cortelyou, a global health management professor at the University of Central Florida and national data director for Project Overdose, said prevention and preparedness “could save lives this weekend.”

    Orlando’s three-day EDC, running from Nov. 7 to Nov. 9, is expected to welcome an anticipated 300,000 attendees at Tinker Field outside Camping World Stadium. The electronic music festival is known for its party culture, and although it has a stated zero-tolerance policy for drug use or paraphernalia, there’s little doubt in Bailey’s mind that drugs will be present.

    Orange County’s Emergency Medical Services, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies and the fire department, says first responders are “fully prepared” to attend to urgent medical needs this weekend, in light of prospective dangers.

    “This event is something we’re ready for every year,” Dr. Christian Zuver, medical director for Orange County’s EMS System, said in a statement. “OMD and the city of Orlando works closely with our local hospital systems to maintain consistent communication and functionality, ensuring all first responders and medical professionals are ready for any situation.”

    A county spokesperson confirmed that several vendors at EDC will have Narcan, an opioid overdose reversal medication, to hand out to attendees. There will also be educational materials available to demonstrate how to administer Narcan (a brand name for naloxone, an opioid antagonist) in the event of a suspected overdose.

    Signs of an overdose involving carfentanil can include slowed or stopped breathing, loss of consciousness, gurgling noises, clammy skin, pinpoint pupils, and disorientation.

    Fentanyl test strips, a tool recently legalized in Florida that can be used for detecting the synthetic opioid fentanyl in drugs, can “sometimes” detect its stronger analog carfentanil, too, said Bailey. However, “Fentanyl test strips are very hit or miss,” he admitted, especially if you’re trying to test a pill rather than a powdered substance.

    Carfentanil has reportedly been detected in at least 37 states, according to the DEA, although Bailey said the drug “has been pretty rare over the years in Central Florida.” To see it moving back into the community is “definitely” cause for alarm, he said.

    The drug was specifically detected by Project Overdose through a new drug tracking system the nonprofit launched last week, powered by artificial intelligence. The system gathers information about drugs in the community, down to the zip code, through anonymized urine tests (i.e. there’s no personal, identifiable information attached).

    “This isn’t just speculation. It’s based on real laboratory data,” said Dr. Cortelyou.

    Dr. Zuver, with Orange County EMS, said that since the event is within city of Orlando limits, firefighters, EMTs and paramedics with the Orlando Fire Department “will be on site to provide immediate medical care.”

    “The event promoter will staff a field emergency department with advanced capabilities, and OMD physicians will be present throughout the weekend with access to additional medications and advanced airway management tools,” he added.

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  • Opioid overdoses are declining across the DC region. What’s behind the trend? – WTOP News

    Overdoses among young people appear to be falling across the D.C. region since schools tackled the issue with education and Narcan training, according to a WTOP analysis of local data.

    This story is Part 1 of WTOP’s four-part series, “Fighting Fentanyl” which explores how the drug is impacting students, families and schools in the D.C. area.

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    Opioid overdoses are declining across DC region. What’s behind the trend?

    It’s been over two years since a large group gathered outside Wakefield High School holding colorful signs.

    They had messages in both English and Spanish, hoping to show support to students at the Arlington, Virginia, school. Some hoped for increased security and new rules. The event came days after Sergio Flores, a student at the school, was suspected to have overdosed in a school bathroom in early 2023. He later died.

    The incident prompted Arlington Public Schools leaders to change their approach in response to a troubling rise in youth overdoses. They allowed students to carry Narcan, the opioid overdose reversal medication, and emphasized to students just how dangerous substance use can be.

    It’s been a few years since school districts across the D.C. region started hosting community meetings, having teachers and other staff trained in how to administer Narcan, and educating students about the dangers of opioids and other drugs at a younger age. Now, overdoses among young people appear to be falling, according to a WTOP analysis of local data.

    “The global altitude of this crisis has really affected so many people that students in our classrooms are going to know somebody who’s been affected by the opioid crisis,” said Jenny Sexton, a substance abuse counselor in Arlington Public Schools. “So helping them understand the data and how that connects them to the reality of this happening right in their hometown.”

    That approach has produced positive results. There were 11 juvenile overdoses, two of which were fatal, in Arlington in 2023, according to police data. There were two overdoses overall, both nonfatal, last year. As of this summer, there haven’t been any in 2025.

    Staff members in Arlington are trained on administering naloxone, the opioid overdose reversal medication, and students hear about substances as young as third grade. The division hosts community presentations and distributed Narcan to parents in drop-off lines twice last year at high schools.

    The biggest challenge, Sexton said, was getting people not to fear Narcan.

    “The initial concern was causing harm to someone,” Sexton said. “‘What if I hurt somebody by giving it to them?’ Or what if it doesn’t work? Am I liable for that?’”

    Nearby Fairfax County is reporting similarly positive trends. There weren’t any fatal overdoses among kids 17 and younger last year, down from five in 2023. There weren’t any overdoses that occurred during school hours or school-sanctioned activities last year either, compared to six during what the district considered its peak year.

    However, it remains a challenge. In a message to families last week, superintendent Michelle Reid said a student in the West Springfield community died of an overdose outside of school.

    “It’s still a problem, in the sense that there are still youth who use fentanyl, and fentanyl continues to be the primary opioid responsible for fatal and nonfatal overdoses in Fairfax County,” said Michael Axler, Fairfax County Public Schools’ director of intervention and prevention services. “However, holistically, we’re definitely seeing that fewer youth are being impacted by fentanyl, certainly in the calendar year 2024 compared to 2023.”

    Virginia’s largest school district keeps naloxone in every school, AED cabinet and clinic, and Axler said there are expanded treatment options for young people. All staff, including athletic coaches and trainers and security personnel, are trained to administer naloxone, and school leaders helped parents learn how to talk to their kids about the sensitive issue.

    “We always have to remember that we’re dealing with people, and so if we say we’ve reduced it by 30%, there’s still a percentage who are being affected by it,” Axler said.

    Meanwhile, it’s been over two years since a cluster of suspected overdoses involving Loudoun County Public Schools students prompted Gov. Glenn Youngkin to issue an executive order on the subject. The move outlined a time requirement for school systems to notify parents of a suspected overdose.

    In 2023, there were 22 juvenile overdoses in the county, according to sheriff’s department data. In 2024, there were six. So far this year, there have been two, including one fatal overdose.

    In Loudoun, students hear from families who have lost loved ones to an overdose. All staff are trained to administer Naloxone, and students can carry it with a parent’s permission. The district boosted the number of student assistant specialists, who have an expertise in substance use and assessment, and boosted parent engagement.

    “It was coming in here manufactured, and kids weren’t realizing what they were getting,” said Jennifer Evans, Loudoun County schools’ director of student mental health services. “And I do think the pharmaceutical companies have a role in that, and what they were prescribing, or how much they’re prescribing, and families have a role in that, locking up medication so kids can’t get to it. So there’s so many layers to that, but I do think there was a lack of information about fentanyl out there.”

    In D.C., there have been 276 deadly overdoses among all ages in the last 12 months, compared to 479 in the previous 12, according to data from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

    Ginny Atwood, co-founder of the Fairfax-based Chris Atwood Foundation, said naloxone becoming available over the counter and improved access to treatment for opioid-use disorder have likely helped contribute to the declines.

    “A lot of times if somebody revives a friend, they’re not going to the state to report the overdose reversal. So we really, truly don’t have a very good idea of how many people are surviving overdoses behind closed doors,” Atwood said.

    “It’s still a problem,” Atwood said. “It’s still something we should be talking about.”

    In Part 2 of WTOP’s “Fighting Fentanyl” series, a couple from Fairfax County speaks out after losing their son to an overdose.

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  • Denver Health sharing patients’ stories to ease stigma of fentanyl use

    DENVER — Denver Health is sharing the stories of patients and support specialists to ease the stigma surrounding fentanyl use and, in turn, reduce overdose deaths.

    According to data from the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE), as of July 10, there have been 320 confirmed overdose deaths so far this year. Of those, 213 cases involved fentanyl.

    During the same period last year (Jan. 1 through July 10, 2024), there were 275 confirmed overdose deaths in Denver.

    Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE)

    “Really, the age range is everything from 9 years old to 90. That is not an exaggeration, we have patients at either end of the spectrum,” Sarah Christensen, medical director of outpatient substance use disorders at Denver Health, said about the patients she sees who have been impacted by fentanyl. “They’re a variety of backgrounds. No one is immune; no one is protected. Coming from a good family or having money doesn’t stop you from experiencing this.”

    Denver Health’s Center for Addiction Medicine helps people navigate recovery. Outside of the building are rows of small purple windmills, recognizing the lives lost to substance abuse.

    Denver Health's Center for Addiction Medicine windmills

    Denver7

    Christensen said the community, whether they’re impacted by substance use disorder or not, can help reduce overdose deaths through awareness and empathy. She recommends that people carry naloxone so they can intervene if they see someone experiencing an overdose.

    “I recommend to everybody to have that with you,” said Christensen. “Actually, I have it with me in my purse.”

    Naloxone, also known by the brand name NARCAN, is a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and can be given as a nasal spray or an injection. The medication is safe and easy to use, not only by trained professionals but also by bystanders.

    Nasal spray naloxone is available at pharmacies or through various vending machines and resource centers across Denver.

    “An overdose might mean that someone has taken so much that they are no longer conscious,” Chistensen said. “What we really worry about is when they stop breathing.”

    • Denver Health created a video demonstrating how to administer naloxone. You can watch it in the video player below

    If your loved one is experiencing substance use disorder, Christensen said the best way to approach the situation is with compassion.

    “Being able to say, ‘Whatever’s happening, I love you, I’m still going to love you, and I’m here when you’re ready and I would love for you to get help,’” she said.

    In an effort to reduce the stigma surrounding fentanyl use, Denver Health is highlighting the stories of people impacted by opioids and overdoses through an exhibit titled “Stories in Black and White.”

    According to Denver Health, “patients, peer support specialists, and advisory members for the Center for Addiction Medicine’s Community Advisory Meeting shared these stories in partnership with the CDC Foundation’s Overdose Response Strategy Program.”

    Denver Health "Stories in Black and White."

    Denver7

    “We hope these stories encourage more dialogue and less stigma about how people from all walks of life can get the support they need when they are ready,” Denver Health wrote.

    The exhibit will be at Civic Center Park near Broadway and 14th Avenue on Sept. 1 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. It will then be showcased at the Denver Central Public Library on Sept. 4 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

    You can learn more about the exhibit through this link.

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  • Fentanyl: Facts and myths on the drug driving OD deaths

    When federal agencies recognize an “awareness day” for something, that’s code for: “Take this seriously. Please.”

    Deaths from fentanyl — the synthetic, often deadly opioid frequently present in illicit street drugs — have contributed to the United States’ soaring opioid overdose deaths in the last decade. 

    In 2022, the advocacy group Facing Fentanyl designated Aug. 21 “National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day,” to honor the people who have died from fentanyl and to increase public awareness of its toll. Today, a number of federal agencies mark the day as well.

    Fentanyl overdose deaths have recently dropped. From April 2024 to March 2025, the CDC reported 43,000 synthetic opioid deaths, most of which are from fentanyl, down from nearly 70,000 in the previous similar period.

    You probably already know this part: Even tiny amounts of fentanyl can be lethal. But we’ve come across a fair number of myths about fentanyl over the years. Knowing the facts about this potent drug can help save lives. Here’s some quick must-knows and common myths. 

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    Two milligrams of fentanyl can be deadly: The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says that ingesting as little as 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be deadly for an adult. The drug is similar to morphine, but up to 100 times more potent, which is what makes it so lethal.

    Photo shows how a potentially lethal 2-milligram dose of fentanyl compares in size to a penny. (U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration)

    Different people can tolerate different doses, but it’s hard to know how much is in a pill: A dose’s lethality can vary based on height, weight and tolerance from past exposure. So a frequent opioid user may tolerate a higher dose than a first time user. A DEA analysis found dosages can vary widely from one pill to another. 

    Fentanyl can be added to other illicit drugs such as heroin and cocaine: Because of its potency and low cost, fentanyl is frequently used to “cut” other illicit drugs, including heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines. As a result, people may unknowingly take a drug that contains fentanyl in potentially lethal amounts. 

    Medical fentanyl can be prescribed by a doctor: A pharmaceutical form of fentanyl can be safely prescribed by doctors to treat severe pain after surgery or in the late stages of cancer. It is used similarly to morphine but in smaller doses. It can be administered through a shot, a patch on the skin or a lozenge. 

    Street fentanyl is not the same as medical fentanyl: Illicit fentanyl, the kind sold illegally on the street, is not regulated like the kind that doctors give. It is made in clandestine labs and the exact dosage is not always reliable. Illicit fentanyl is most closely associated with overdose deaths. According to the DEA, illicit fentanyl can be sold as a powder, pill or nasal spray.

    Fentanyl test strips can show if a drug has been laced: But they cannot tell you how much of the opioid is present. Read about how to use fentanyl test strips here. 

    Naloxone or Narcan can reverse an opioid overdose: Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, is administered via nasal spray or injection and can be bought over the counter. Friends, family members and bystanders can give a person naloxone in the case of an overdose, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Sometimes multiple doses are needed, depending on the strength of the opioid.

    People who use Narcan should still go to the hospital: Naloxone reverses an opioid overdose for 30 to 90 minutes, so it is possible overdose symptoms can return once the treatment wears off. 

    You can’t overdose by touching an item containing fentanyl. In 2017, the American College of Medical Toxicology and the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology released a joint statement saying “it is very unlikely” that skin exposure to fentanyl powder or tablets “would cause significant opioid toxicity.” Fentanyl isn’t absorbed well by the skin; for fentanyl to have a physical effect on the body, it must enter the bloodstream. Some medical fentanyl is delivered through skin patches, but it is absorbed slowly over the course of hours. These patches can’t quickly deliver a high dose of fentanyl.

    Breathing air in a room with fentanyl can’t make you sick. Medical experts said fentanyl isn’t volatile, meaning it doesn’t easily become a vapor, which means you’re not going to become sick from breathing near it. Experts said fentanyl doesn’t just float up into the air and unintentionally expose people nearby.

    Fentanyl does not smell like popcorn when it burns. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that fentanyl is odorless and tasteless, and there is no visible way of knowing if or how much fentanyl a pill contains. But those low-cost test strips can determine whether a drug contains traces of fentanyl.

    RELATED: It’s physically impossible to overdose from touching a dollar bill laced with fentanyl 

    RELATED: Following your nose won’t find fentanyl, experts say, but using test strips will 

    RELATED: Misinformation about fentanyl exposure threatens to undermine overdose response

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  • Minnesota prison guard describes dangerous encounters with drug smuggling: “It’s scary for everyone”

    Minnesota prison guard describes dangerous encounters with drug smuggling: “It’s scary for everyone”

    BAYPORT, Minn. — Sgt. Staci Stone had just begun her shift on a Thursday morning at Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater when a nurse called for Narcan, the antidote to a drug overdose.

    Stone, a veteran corrections officer for more than 15 years, explained the Narcan was actually for a colleague, another CO who had just caught an inmate smoking a synthetic narcotic.

    “It was just in the air. Whatever he smoked, he blew it out,” Stone said. “And from being out in the air is where we started exhibiting symptoms.”

    Starting in June, staff at Stillwater, Rush City and Faribault correctional facilities began screening, scanning and reprinting mail after investigators discovered pieces of legal and personal mail stained and contaminated with synthetic narcotics.  

    This incident at Stillwater, however, happened in September and led to a two-day lockdown. Nine staff members, including Stone, were hospitalized.  

    WCCO


    “We went and laid down in health services and then all of a sudden it was just vomiting. The nausea and vomiting were escalating our symptoms,” she said. “It’s scary for everybody.”

    So far this year, the Minnesota Department of Corrections says there have been at least 70 cases of suspected overdoses in state prisons, with most leading to lockdowns that frustrate inmates, staff and their families.

    The DOC has stressed that its Office of Special Investigations will continue its investigation into the Stillwater incident, as well as crackdown on drug smuggling. 

    “At what point do you say enough is enough and try something else? I guess don’t know what the answer will end up being, but I’m open to everything,” Stone said. 

    Also last month, a former correctional officer at Faribault — 43-year-old Lindsey Adams of Farmington — was arrested and charged with third-degree possession of methamphetamine and introducing contraband into a state correctional facility, the Rice County Attorney’s Office said.

    According to prosecutors, authorities saw the inmate and guard making an exchange on live video.

    Jonah Kaplan


    jonah-kaplan.png

    Jonah Kaplan is WCCO and CBS News Minnesota’s investigative reporter and has built a strong reputation for his balanced and in-depth coverage of high-impact issues including the economy, immigration, education, public safety, and the military, among others.

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  • Loudoun Co. approves plan to allow students to carry Narcan at school – WTOP News

    Loudoun Co. approves plan to allow students to carry Narcan at school – WTOP News

    Students in Loudoun County will now be able to carry naloxone in their backpacks, as part of an update to the school district’s student medication policy.

    Students in Loudoun County, Virginia, will now be able to carry naloxone in their backpacks, as part of an update to the school district’s student medication policy approved this week.

    The change will allow students who have received training, and whose parents have signed off, to carry the overdose-reversal drug at school.

    The policy updates come about a year after the school system reported a series of overdoses, including at least eight at one county high school. That prompted Gov. Glenn Youngkin to sign an executive order requiring school divisions to promptly notify families of a student overdose.

    “This is completely optional,” school board member Anne Donohue said. “This, in no way, is obligating any student at LCPS to carry naloxone. It is simply saying, if they want to, they will be allowed to.”

    According to the approved policy, a student who administers the naloxone has to tell a staff member.

    Any student who wants to carry naloxone in their backpack will have to get it themselves.

    While some school board members said the change will improve student safety, others suggested it puts too much pressure on students.

    “We are asking students to become emergency responders, and I feel like it’s putting a heavy responsibility on the students,” board member Deana Griffiths said. “You may also lose actual confirmed reporting by students if they are administering naloxone.”

    Board member Lauren Shernoff echoed that sentiment, suggesting the school division is “putting what I feel to be a very adult thing on our children, if they take that responsibility.”

    But, board member April Chandler said, “If you’re faced with an overdose of your classmate, it’s traumatic either way. Are you empowered to do something that could save a life? Or are you going to be traumatized by the fact that you saw somebody pass away? It’s impossible to consider.”

    Arlington Public Schools took a similar step in 2023. Last year, 450 students signed up to do it, a spokesman said.

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    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Scott Gelman

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  • Sacramento County jail inmate dies after he was found unresponsive with cellmate

    Sacramento County jail inmate dies after he was found unresponsive with cellmate

    An inmate at the Sacramento County main jail has died after he and his cellmate were found unresponsive in their cell on Friday, according to the sheriff’s office.Deputies responded to the cell around 11:15 a.m. regarding two unresponsive male inmates. The sheriff’s office said deputies removed both inmates from the cell and gave them first aid.Narcan was administered to both inmates multiple times, officials said. One of the inmates, a 40-year-old man, died at the jail. The sheriff’s office has not identified him, but said he had been in custody since June 22.The other inmate was revived and began to breathe on his own, the sheriff’s office said. He was taken to an area hospital where he was treated and cleared to return to the jail.The sheriff’s office said it will complete a thorough investigation into the inmate’s death.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    An inmate at the Sacramento County main jail has died after he and his cellmate were found unresponsive in their cell on Friday, according to the sheriff’s office.

    Deputies responded to the cell around 11:15 a.m. regarding two unresponsive male inmates.

    The sheriff’s office said deputies removed both inmates from the cell and gave them first aid.

    Narcan was administered to both inmates multiple times, officials said.

    One of the inmates, a 40-year-old man, died at the jail. The sheriff’s office has not identified him, but said he had been in custody since June 22.

    The other inmate was revived and began to breathe on his own, the sheriff’s office said. He was taken to an area hospital where he was treated and cleared to return to the jail.

    The sheriff’s office said it will complete a thorough investigation into the inmate’s death.

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  • Rockville-based Narcan maker Emergent is cutting hundreds of jobs – WTOP News

    Rockville-based Narcan maker Emergent is cutting hundreds of jobs – WTOP News

    Rockville-based Emergent BioSolutions is eliminating 300 jobs and will not fill 85 current job openings, as part of a broad restructuring that also includes closing manufacturing facilities, including one in the Maryland city.

    Rockville-based Emergent BioSolutions is eliminating 300 jobs and will not fill 85 current job openings, as part of a broad restructuring that also includes closing manufacturing facilities, including one in the Maryland city.

    Emergent also reported quarterly revenue of $300 million, almost double revenue in the same quarter a year ago, and a $9 million profit, compared to steep losses in the first quarter of 2023.

    Emergent BioSolutions manufactures and sells over-the-counter opioid overdose antidote Narcan, and supplies government stockpiles with vaccines. The company says its latest reorganization would focus the company on its core products business, including Narcan and its anthrax vaccine.

    Last quarter, it was awarded a procurement contract valued at up to $235.8 million to supply its anthrax vaccine, BioThrax, to the U.S. Department of Defense.

    As part of its restructuring, Emergent is shutting down its Baltimore-Bayview drug manufacturing facility and its drug product facility in Rockville. It said it will concentrate manufacturing operations at sites in Winnipeg, Canada, and Lansing, Michigan.

    “Today’s actions are about the future of Emergent,” said CEO Joe Papa. “We have put in place a multiyear plan to position Emergent for sustainable and long-term success, and that starts by stabilizing our operations, strengthening our balance sheet and managing our debt.”

    Papa, former Bausch + Lombe CEO, was named Emergent chief executive in February.

    The Food and Drug Administration approved over-the-counter sales of Emergent’s Narcan in March 2023, and it began shipping it last fall. Emergent gained rights to Narcan as part of its 2018 acquisition of Adapt Pharma.

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    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • California joining with N.J. company to buy generic opioid overdose reversal drug Narcan

    California joining with N.J. company to buy generic opioid overdose reversal drug Narcan

    California is partnering with a New Jersey-based pharmaceutical company to purchase a generic version of Narcan, the drug that can save someone’s life during an opioid overdose, under a deal announced Monday by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.

    Amneal Pharmaceuticals will sell naloxone to California for $24 per pack, or about 40% cheaper than the market rate. California will give away the packs for free to first responders, universities and community organizations through the state’s Naloxone Distribution Project.

    The deal is significant because it means California will be able to buy a lot more naloxone — 3.2 million packs in one year instead of 2 million — for the same total cost.

    The deal means naloxone eventually will be available under the CalRx label. Newsom first proposed CalRx back in 2019 as an attempt to force drug companies to lower their prices by offering much cheaper, competing versions of life-saving medication. He signed a law in 2020 giving the authority to the state.

    California governments and businesses will be able to purchase naloxone outside of the Naloxone Distribution Project, the Newsom administration said, adding the state is working on a plan to make it available for sale to individuals.

    “California is disrupting the drug industry with CalRx — securing life-saving drugs at lower and transparent prices,” Newsom said in an statement provided by his office.

    Naloxone has been available in the U.S. without a prescription since March of 2023, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Narcan, a nasal spray brand produced by the Maryland-based pharmaceutical company Emergent BioSolutions.

    Amneal Pharmaceuticals makes a generic equivalent to Narcan that won FDA approval last week.

    The naloxone packs purchased by California initially will be available under the Amneal label. The naloxone will move to the CalRx label once its approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a process the Newsom administration said could take several months.

    Opioid overdose deaths, which are caused by heroin, fentanyl and oxycodone, have increased dramatically in California and across the country. Annual opioid overdose deaths in California more than doubled since 2019, reaching 7,385 deaths at the end of 2022.

    California began giving away naloxone kits for free in 2018. State officials say the Naloxone Distribution Project has given out 4.1 million kits, which have reversed a reported 260,000 opioid overdoses. The money has come from taxpayers and portions of a nationwide settlement agreement with some other pharmaceutical companies.

    Last year, California lawmakers agreed to spend $30 million to partner with a drug company to make its own version of naloxone. But they ended up not needing to spend that money on this deal, since Amneal Pharmaceutical was already so far along in the FDA approval process it did not require up-front funding from the state.

    Instead, California will use a portion of the revenue it receives from a national opioid settlement to purchase the drugs.

    Naloxone is just one drug the Newsom administration is targeting.

    Last year, California signed a 10-year agreement with the nonprofit Civica to produce CalRx branded insulin, which is used to treat diabetes. California has set aside $100 million for that project, with $50 million to develop the drugs and the rest set aside to invest in a manufacturing facility. Newsom said a 10 milliliter vial of state-branded insulin would sell for $30.

    Civica has been meeting with the FDA and “has a clear path forward,” the Newsom administration said.

    CBS San Francisco

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  • Wake County school board approves Naloxone policy

    Wake County school board approves Naloxone policy

    CARY, N.C. (WTVD) — On Tuesday, Wake County school officials took another step toward putting potentially life-saving medicine into public schools — countywide.

    Wake County School Board members approved a new policy Tuesday that would require all schools in the county to keep a supply of Naloxone — also known by its brand name Narcan — and train faculty members on how to use it. Families who have been touched by the fentanyl epidemic say that’s a big win.

    “The more we say fentanyl out loud without shame, the more people understand that anybody could die,” said Barb Walsh, a Cary mom and founder of the Fentanyl Victims Network of North Carolina.

    Someone’s going to die because Naloxone wasn’t in school. And is that a risk they want to take?

    – Barb Walsh, founder of Fentanyl Victims Network of North Carolina

    Barb’s daughter, Sophia, died in August 2021 after drinking from a water bottle that had the dangerous opioid mixed into it. Since then, Barb’s made it her mission to not only support families like hers but also promote life-saving medicine however she can. She founded the Fentanyl Victims Network in August 2022, one year after Sophia died.

    “I have a fire extinguisher in my kitchen just in case I have a fire, that’s because I want one,” she said. “Naloxone is the same thing.”

    In December, Barb attended a Wake County school board meeting, urging officials to consider requiring Naloxone be put into schools. Now, that’s one step closer to becoming reality, after a new policy was approved — and just needs to be voted on to become official.

    “We don’t know where the threat is going to come from. But if we have a tool that can save a life, particularly one of our students’ lives, we want to do everything we can to take those steps,” said board chair Chris Heagarty.

    According to state health statistics, Naloxone was used for suspected overdoses 21 times on school grounds statewide last year. Walsh said it’s not worth waiting for more.

    “It may not have happened in North Carolina yet. But someone’s going to die because Naloxone wasn’t in school. And is that a risk they want to take?” she said.

    Though there’s work to be done — only about 20% of North Carolina’s public school districts have Naloxone policies — the significance of Tuesday’s decision isn’t lost on Walsh.

    “It doesn’t take an army. It doesn’t take a lobbyist. It takes a mom who’s lost a child to stand in front of the school board to make this happen. And that’s significant,” she said.

    Funding for the new policy is not yet clear. Heagarty said they’ll be targeting possible state and federal funds in addition to county funding out of the superintendent’s budget. The policy will be discussed at a full board meeting in May, and if passed could be in place by next school year.

    Copyright © 2024 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved.

    Sean Coffey

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  • Concern over student mental health and drug use draws attendance to Montgomery Co. school forum – WTOP News

    Concern over student mental health and drug use draws attendance to Montgomery Co. school forum – WTOP News

    Students and parents turned out at Springbrook High School in Montgomery County, Maryland, to learn more about the issues of mental health and substance use.

    Students and parents turned out at Springbrook High School in Silver Spring, Maryland, to learn more about the issues of mental health and substance use.
    (WTOP/Dick Uliano)

    WTOP/Dick Uliano

    Mental health and substance use forum at Springbrook High School
    Health agencies, law enforcement and student groups shared information at the forum conducted in the school’s gym, auditorium and in the hallways.
    (WTOP/Dick Uliano)

    WTOP/Dick Uliano

    Maryland Students Against Drugs members Kaitlyn Hong and Grace Chee
    Kaitlyn Hong, of Clarksburg High School, and Grace Chee, of Neelsville Middle School, are members of Maryland Students Against Drugs.
    (WTOP/Dick Uliano)

    WTOP/Dick Uliano

    There typically isn’t much action at Springbrook High School on Saturdays, but this weekend was an exception, as parents and students flocked to the school to learn more about the challenges kids face involving mental health and substance use.

    “This is a family forum that’s been opened up to the community and all of the surrounding schools to invite parents and families to learn about mental health and substance use prevention, and how to have those conversations with your children and … family members, and also how to recognize signs of substance use,” said Leslie West-Bushby, president of the Parent Teachers Student Association at Springbrook High School in Silver Spring, Maryland.

    Health agencies, law enforcement and student groups shared information at the forum conducted in the school’s gym, auditorium and in the hallways.

    “We’ve had about 2,000 (fatal) overdoses in the state in the last year and Montgomery County has had over 100. So we’re lower per capita than most of the rest of the state, but fentanyl is now the leading cause of death in the United States for people 18 to 49,” said Phil Andrews, director of crime prevention for the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office. “Fentanyl is 50 times as powerful as heroin and 100 times as strong as morphine, and people have trouble appreciating how deadly it is.”

    Students provided Narcan training at the forum, instructing individuals on how to administer the nasal spray to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

    “We distribute Narcan kits, we go through the steps of what to do when you think somebody’s overdosed,” said Amy Ye, a student at Richard Montgomery High School and a member of the Youth Ambassadors Program, a student group focused on substance use prevention, suicide prevention and mental health wellness.

    “This is an extremely serious problem,” said Maggie Holtry, a student at Covenant Life School and a member of the Youth Ambassadors Program. “If you’ve gone to any public school you understand the risk of people overdosing right in front of you.”

    Besides leading Narcan training, the students also distributed information to forum participants.

    “It’s about educating our parents as well as our student body about knowing the resources in preventing substance use,” said Vicky Kaprielian, a student at Winston Churchill High School and a member of the Youth Ambassadors Program.

    Forum leaders said it’s critical that parents discuss with children the dangers of drugs.

    “Do not assume that your child will never use drugs or drink alcohol,” West-Bushby said.

    The students themselves said they believe they are in the best position to help their fellow students avoid the dangers.

    “Our main advantage in combating this problem is the fact that we are young people ourselves. People are going to listen to their peers,” Holtry said.

    Among the kids working to combat the scourge of drugs were members of the student-formed group called Maryland Students Against Drugs, who eagerly shared information from their homemade display featuring a map of drug overdoses in the states.

    “We saw the problem going on in our school, where people were overdosing in our school. And it’s not just our school … so we made this organization to help students know that they’re not alone, and to teach them about Narcan to reverse the effects of drugs,” said Kaitlyn Hoang, a student at Clarksburg High School and a co-founder of Maryland Students Against Drugs.

    “Students are struggling from family problems, academic problems and a lot of the times they turn to drugs which is something that we don’t want to happen,” said Grace Chee, a student at Neelsville Middle School and a member of Maryland Students Against Drugs. “If we try hard and continue to do what we’re doing now, we have a very high chance of making a big difference in our community.”

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Dick Uliano

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  • Oregon governor declares emergency over fentanyl crisis

    Oregon governor declares emergency over fentanyl crisis


    Oregon governor declares emergency over fentanyl crisis – CBS News


    Watch CBS News



    Oregon paved the way as the first state to decriminalize drug use in 2020, to instead focus on addiction and recovery. But due to Portland’s growing fentanyl crisis, Gov. Tina Kotek this week declared a 90-day emergency to address the increase in overdose deaths. Adam Yamaguchi has more.

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  • Department of Defense To Track Military Overdoses, Provide NARCAN | High Times

    Department of Defense To Track Military Overdoses, Provide NARCAN | High Times

    As per a new law, the Department of Defense will begin tracking overdoses within the United States military in 2024 and begin to provide naloxone to service members beginning in 2025. 

    Military overdose deaths have historically not been systematically tracked until the release of a report by Rolling Stone in 2022 detailing the steep rise in overdose deaths at Fort Bragg, which has since been renamed to Fort Liberty. The report detailed the shocking increase in deaths from fentanyl, counterfeit prescription pills laced with fentanyl and deaths in otherwise healthy young men from causes typically sustained from long-term drug use that were not labeled as overdoses.

    In general, Rolling Stone described shoddy record-keeping and experienced a general lack of transparency from the brass at Fort Liberty regarding drug use, drug-related crimes or overdose by military members. Of the 109 deaths that occurred at Fort Liberty between 2020 and 2021, at least 14 soldiers died directly from overdose, though that number is likely higher if you count deaths from drug-related causes, 21 by Rolling Stone’s count, making accidental overdose the leading cause of death at Fort Liberty behind suicide which claimed the lives of 41 soldiers in the same time period. 

    After the Rolling Stone report, pressure built on Congress to do something about the issue and Senator Edward Markey (D-Mass.) along with other congressmen began to push the Pentagon for increased transparency. This request led to an admission by the Pentagon that fentanyl-related deaths roughly doubled among military members between 2017 and 2021, much like the rest of the country experienced. According to a Military.com report, 330 service members died from drug overdose between 2017 and 2022, and 15,000 soldiers experienced non-fatal overdoses in the same time frame. 

    “Real security means guaranteeing that members of the military and their families can get resources and life-saving treatment necessary to stop the overdose crisis in its tracks,” Senator Markey said in a statement to Military.com.

    The law requiring overdose tracking and NARCAN distribution was signed by President Biden in December of 2022 and goes into effect in 2024. According to Military.com, the Department of Defense will be required to submit an annual report on overdose deaths, overdose locations, demographics, whether the service member had previously sought mental health treatment, or if they’d previously been prescribed opioids, benzodiazepines or stimulants.

    “It’s really just smart public health,” said Professor Alex Bennett to Military.com. Bennett serves as the director of New York University’s Opioid Overdose Prevention Program. “There’s really a lot of drug naivete amongst military personnel,” Bennett said.

    Part of the issue, as is the same with the civilian population, is that fentanyl is often used to make “pressed pills” or fake prescription pills designed to look like pharmaceutical painkillers or benzodiazepines which are often poorly dosed, causing people to unwittingly ingest a lethal dose of fentanyl. The Drug Enforcement Administration has estimated that about 70% of fake prescription pills contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl. 

    “We’ve been working with a lot of veterans who use substances while they’re in the military. Transparency with data tracking like the kind the military is set to begin doing is a step in the right direction,” Bennett said. “Closing your eyes to drug problems doesn’t solve anything,” Bennett said. “It just makes things worse.”

    Carole De Nola, whose 23-year-old child died of an overdose while stationed at Fort Liberty, told Military.com that drug education is especially needed among military members as the new law does not require the military to educate service members on the dangers of fentanyl.

    “We should be dealing with this before a service member’s about to overdose,” De Nola said. 

    It was not immediately clear how the military would be distributing naloxone, commonly known as NARCAN, which is a life-saving medication that can halt an opioid overdose in its tracks. Many NARCAN distribution programs have been established at the level of local cities and townships but nothing has been established federally, or by military leadership until the new law was passed. The new law requires that naloxone be made available to all troops by the year 2025. The law also requires all the naloxone distributed by tracked, which could discourage some military members from seeking it out. 

    Patrick Maravelias

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  • FDA Approves First Over-The-Counter Narcan To Reduce Overdoses

    FDA Approves First Over-The-Counter Narcan To Reduce Overdoses

    The Food and Drug Administration has approved selling the overdose-reversal drug Narcan without a prescription, a move long sought by advocates to aid the national response to the opioid crisis. What do you think?

    “I’m not comfortable with just anyone being able to save someone’s life.”

    Joel Budnik, Ball Pit Monitor

    FDA: Everyone Needs To Induce Vomiting Right Now

    “I guess the opioid crisis has finally gotten as bad as America’s upset-tummy crisis.”

    Jared Hanlon, Unemployed

    “Then what’s the incentive to not overdose?”

    Cindy Ryerson, Sound Distortionist

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  • FDA approves over-the-counter Narcan. Here’s what it means | Long Island Business News

    FDA approves over-the-counter Narcan. Here’s what it means | Long Island Business News

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved selling naloxone without a prescription, setting the overdose-reversing drug on course to become the first opioid treatment drug to be sold over the counter.

    It’s a move that some advocates have long sought as a way to improve access to a life-saving drug, though the exact impact will not be clear immediately.

    Here’s a look at the issues involved.

    WHAT IS NARCAN?

    The approved branded nasal spray from Gaithersburg, Maryland-based Emergent BioSolutions is the best-known form of naloxone.

    It can reverse overdoses of opioids, including street drugs such as heroin and fentanyl and prescription versions including oxycodone.

    Making naloxone available more widely is seen as a key strategy to control the nationwide overdose crisis, which has been linked to more than 100,000 U.S. deaths a year. The majority of those deaths are tied to opioids, primarily potent synthetic versions such as fentanyl that can take multiple doses of naloxone to reverse.

    Advocates believe it’s important to get naloxone to the people who are most likely to be around overdoses, including people who use drugs and their relatives.

    Police and other first responders also often carry it.

    ___

    WHAT DOES THE FDA APPROVAL MEAN?

    Narcan will become available over-the-counter by late summer, the company said.

    Other brands of naloxone and injectable forms will not yet be available over the counter, but they could be soon.

    The nonprofit Harm Reduction Therapeutics Inc., which has funding from OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, has an application before the FDA to distribute its version of spray naloxone without a prescription.

    ___

    HOW IS NALOXONE DISTRIBUTED NOW?

    Even before the FDA’s action, pharmacies could sell naloxone without a prescription because officials in every state have allowed it.

    But not every pharmacy carries it. And buyers have to pay for the medication — either with an insurance co-pay or for the full retail price. The cost varies, but two doses of Narcan often go for around $50.

    The drug is also distributed by community organizations that serve people who use drugs, though it’s not easily accessible to everyone who needs it.

    Emergent has not announced its price and it’s not clear yet whether insurers will continue to cover it as a prescription drug if it’s available over the counter.

    ___

    DOES MAKING NALOXONE OVER-THE-COUNTER IMPROVE ACCESS?

    It clears the way for Narcan to be made available in places without pharmacies — convenience stores, supermarkets and online retailers, for instance.

    Jose Benitez, the lead executive officer at Prevention Point Philadelphia, an organization that tries to reduce risk for people who use drugs with services including handing out free naloxone, said it could help a lot for people who don’t seek services — or who live in places where they’re not available.

    Now, he said, some people are concerned about getting naloxone at pharmacies because their insurers will know they’re getting it.

    “Putting it out of the shelves is going to allows people just to pick it up, not have stigma attached to it and readily access this life-saving drug,” he said.

    But it remains to be seen how many stores will carry it and what the prices will be. The U.S. Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, which now cover prescription naloxone for people on the government insurance programs, says that coverage of over-the-counter naloxone would depend on the insurance program. The centers have not given any official guidance.

    Maya Doe-Simkins, a co-director of Remedy Alliance/For The People, which launched last year to provide low-cost — and sometimes free — naloxone to community organizations, said her group will continue to distribute injectable naloxone.

    ___

    ARE THERE DRAWBACKS TO OVER-THE-COUNTER SALES?

    One concern is whether people who buy Narcan over-the-counter will know how to use it properly, said Keith Humphreys, a Stanford University addiction expert, though the manufacturer is responsible for clear directions and online videos on that.

    One benefit of having pharmacists involved, he said, is that they can show buyers how to use it. One key thing people need to be reminded of: Call an ambulance for the person receiving naloxone after it’s been administered.

    He also said there are fears that if the drug isn’t profitable as an over-the-counter option, the drugmaker could stop producing it.

    “

    The Associated Press

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  • Pharmacist hopes to get life saving drug in every household in Adel community

    Pharmacist hopes to get life saving drug in every household in Adel community

    If there are a few things Sumpter Pharmacy owner Leslie Herron loves, it’s Adel and the people who live there. It’s part of why she’s hoping to get Narcan, which is used to treat narcotic overdoses during emergencies, into the homes of everyone throughout the community. The other reason is because she knows how life-saving it can be while waiting for first responders to arrive and help. When people think about what overdoses are caused, many first think about heroin or fentanyl. However, overdosing does not discriminate. “When you’re in pain, you’re not thinking clearly,” Herron said. “So, it is really easy to lose track of how much medication you’ve taken.” That’s when Herron says it’s time to pull out the Narcan nasal spray. “It just needs to be absorbed through the nasal passages because that’s one of the fastest ways to get in the bloodstream,” Herron said.A law passed in 2016 allows Iowa pharmacists to dispense Narcan to patients over the age of 18. Herron says she hopes to get them into every house in Adel because Narcan reverses the effects of an opioid. “So opioids come, you take them, and they bind to a receptor in your body and then they do their job,” Herron said. “What Narcan does is it comes in and it just knocks that opioid off the receptor as if it’s not there anymore.” “It can be in your home,” said Deborah Krauss, referring to an overdose.Krauss is the director of the Iowa Harm Reduction Coalition.”It could be you know your nephew, your niece, or your kid,” she said.Krauss says she knows how overdosing does not discriminate. Like Herron, she believes it’s important people reduce the stigma around Narcan because anyone can be in need or save a life. “There’s a lot of people who have never touched a drug in their life and they carry Narcan because you could save a life,” Krauss said.

    ADEL, Iowa —

    If there are a few things Sumpter Pharmacy owner Leslie Herron loves, it’s Adel and the people who live there. It’s part of why she’s hoping to get Narcan, which is used to treat narcotic overdoses during emergencies, into the homes of everyone throughout the community.

    The other reason is because she knows how life-saving it can be while waiting for first responders to arrive and help.

    When people think about what overdoses are caused, many first think about heroin or fentanyl. However, overdosing does not discriminate.

    “When you’re in pain, you’re not thinking clearly,” Herron said. “So, it is really easy to lose track of how much medication you’ve taken.”

    That’s when Herron says it’s time to pull out the Narcan nasal spray.

    “It just needs to be absorbed through the nasal passages because that’s one of the fastest ways to get in the bloodstream,” Herron said.

    A law passed in 2016 allows Iowa pharmacists to dispense Narcan to patients over the age of 18.

    Herron says she hopes to get them into every house in Adel because Narcan reverses the effects of an opioid.

    “So opioids come, you take them, and they bind to a receptor in your body and then they do their job,” Herron said. “What Narcan does is it comes in and it just knocks that opioid off the receptor as if it’s not there anymore.”

    “It can be in your home,” said Deborah Krauss, referring to an overdose.

    Krauss is the director of the Iowa Harm Reduction Coalition.

    “It could be you know your nephew, your niece, or your kid,” she said.

    Krauss says she knows how overdosing does not discriminate. Like Herron, she believes it’s important people reduce the stigma around Narcan because anyone can be in need or save a life.

    “There’s a lot of people who have never touched a drug in their life and they carry Narcan because you could save a life,” Krauss said.

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  • Pharmacist hopes to get life saving drug in every household in Adel community

    Pharmacist hopes to get life saving drug in every household in Adel community

    If there are a few things Sumpter Pharmacy owner Leslie Herron loves, it’s Adel and the people who live there. It’s part of why she’s hoping to get Narcan, which is used to treat narcotic overdoses during emergencies, into the homes of everyone throughout the community. The other reason is because she knows how life-saving it can be while waiting for first responders to arrive and help. When people think about what overdoses are caused, many first think about heroin or fentanyl. However, overdosing does not discriminate. “When you’re in pain, you’re not thinking clearly,” Herron said. “So, it is really easy to lose track of how much medication you’ve taken.” That’s when Herron says it’s time to pull out the Narcan nasal spray. “It just needs to be absorbed through the nasal passages because that’s one of the fastest ways to get in the bloodstream,” Herron said.A law passed in 2016 allows Iowa pharmacists to dispense Narcan to patients over the age of 18. Herron says she hopes to get them into every house in Adel because Narcan reverses the effects of an opioid. “So opioids come, you take them, and they bind to a receptor in your body and then they do their job,” Herron said. “What Narcan does is it comes in and it just knocks that opioid off the receptor as if it’s not there anymore.” “It can be in your home,” said Deborah Krauss, referring to an overdose.Krauss is the director of the Iowa Harm Reduction Coalition.”It could be you know your nephew, your niece, or your kid,” she said.Krauss says she knows how overdosing does not discriminate. Like Herron, she believes it’s important people reduce the stigma around Narcan because anyone can be in need or save a life. “There’s a lot of people who have never touched a drug in their life and they carry Narcan because you could save a life,” Krauss said.

    ADEL, Iowa —

    If there are a few things Sumpter Pharmacy owner Leslie Herron loves, it’s Adel and the people who live there. It’s part of why she’s hoping to get Narcan, which is used to treat narcotic overdoses during emergencies, into the homes of everyone throughout the community.

    The other reason is because she knows how life-saving it can be while waiting for first responders to arrive and help.

    When people think about what overdoses are caused, many first think about heroin or fentanyl. However, overdosing does not discriminate.

    “When you’re in pain, you’re not thinking clearly,” Herron said. “So, it is really easy to lose track of how much medication you’ve taken.”

    That’s when Herron says it’s time to pull out the Narcan nasal spray.

    “It just needs to be absorbed through the nasal passages because that’s one of the fastest ways to get in the bloodstream,” Herron said.

    A law passed in 2016 allows Iowa pharmacists to dispense Narcan to patients over the age of 18.

    Herron says she hopes to get them into every house in Adel because Narcan reverses the effects of an opioid.

    “So opioids come, you take them, and they bind to a receptor in your body and then they do their job,” Herron said. “What Narcan does is it comes in and it just knocks that opioid off the receptor as if it’s not there anymore.”

    “It can be in your home,” said Deborah Krauss, referring to an overdose.

    Krauss is the director of the Iowa Harm Reduction Coalition.

    “It could be you know your nephew, your niece, or your kid,” she said.

    Krauss says she knows how overdosing does not discriminate. Like Herron, she believes it’s important people reduce the stigma around Narcan because anyone can be in need or save a life.

    “There’s a lot of people who have never touched a drug in their life and they carry Narcan because you could save a life,” Krauss said.

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