Life-saving overdose drug available at deep discount
Upcoming Events
Related News
A nasal spray crucial in saving the lives of people in the middle of an opiate drug overdose will be available at 40 percent off.
Deaths from heroin overdoses have increased six-fold between 2001 and 2014, outpacing overdose deaths from cocaine, tranquilizers and prescription opioid pain killers in the same time period.
Local emergency rooms, rescue services and police are scrambling to keep up with the rash of overdoses. One of their prime weapons is the drug naloxone.
On Jan. 14 as the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy hosted a community forum on the opioid epidemic in Knox County, Tenn., state and local leaders announced an expansion of efforts to facilitate public agencies’ access to potentially lifesaving opioid withdrawal medication.
NACo Podcasts: Counties & National Drug Control Policy
NACo, the National Governors Association, National League of Cities and U.S. Conference of Mayors, with the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance and Premier, Inc., have reached an agreement with Adapt Pharma to offer Narcan Nasal Spray at a 40- percent discount, or $37.50 per dose ($75 for a 2-pack carton).
Narcan Nasal Spray, is the only FDA-approved, ready-to-use nasal spray version of naloxone hydrochloride, a life-saving medication that can stop or reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
“Medication-assisted opioid treatment can mean the difference between life and death,” said NACo President Sallie Clark, commissioner, El Paso County, Colo. “We see the devastating effects of prescription drug abuse and heroin use because counties are at the intersection of the local health, justice and public safety systems. We welcome this public-private partnership to support our response to this national crisis.”
As part of its Safe and Secure Counties Initiative, NACo is working with state associations of counties to develop policy recommendations and promote promising practices to address the opioid epidemic plaguing communities.
The White House National Drug Policy Control Director Michael Botticelli praised the agreement between Adapt Pharma and the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance.
“The Administration has made it a top priority to expand access to the overdose reversal drug naloxone and medication-assisted treatment because we have lost too many of our family members and friends to the opioid epidemic. This public-private partnership to secure discounts for state and local agencies can help ensure that these life-saving medications are available wherever they are needed.”
For more information about Narcan Nasal Spray, click here.
Attachments
Related News
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announces major restructuring
On March 27, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a sweeping reorganization that will consolidate agencies, shift key programs under a new framework and eliminate thousands of positions. This change brings HHS in line with President Trump's Executive Order, “Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Workforce Optimization Initiative.”
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services moves to reduce public comment in rulemaking
On February 28, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a policy change limiting public comment opportunities to only those required by law. Published in the Federal Register on March 3, the decision rescinds the “Richardson Waiver,” a 1971 directive from then-HHS Secretary Elliot Richardson that encouraged broader public input on regulations related to public benefits, grants and healthcare policies.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services renews Public Health Emergency Declaration to address national opioid crisis
On March 18, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under the direction of Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. renewed the public health emergency (PHE) declaration to address the ongoing opioid crisis, extending critical federal support for coordination, treatment expansion and research efforts. While overdose deaths have declined by 25.5 percent over the past year, synthetic opioids like fentanyl continue to drive fatalities, with approximately 150 Americans dying daily from overdoses.