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The Biden administration launched an initiative Wednesday that calls for increased training and access to life-saving opioid overdose reversal drugs, dubbed the Overdose Life Challenge.
Naloxone, sometimes sold under the brand name Narcan, is a drug that quickly reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. Studies They showed that people can easily administer the nasal spray with no medical knowledge and minimal training.
To expand access, the US Food and Drug Administration approved Over-the-counter Narcan spray will be available in March 2023, and in July it approved the first generic over-the-counter nasal spray. Anyone can buy sprays at pharmacies, grocery stores, and even without a prescription. Vending machine.
White House domestic policy advisor Neera Tandon He said in a briefing Tuesday that the overdose problem is a “top priority” for the Biden administration, which has invested more than $100 billion to stem the flow of illegal drugs and expand access to drug treatment.
Funding from the federal government State Opioid Response Grant Program It has helped deliver nearly 10 million free naloxone kits across the country, preventing more than 600,000 overdose deaths, but the White House is now calling on private companies and people in all sectors to increase access to the drug and increase training.
Although naloxone is widely available, some public health experts say Sometimes difficult to find And the price may be prohibitive for some.
“We really want to make sure we're flooding the zone with naloxone,” Tandon said.
The new initiative promotes organizational To train leaders in how to use opioid overdose medications, to keep naloxone in first aid and emergency kits, and Distribute the medication to staff and customers.
“Today, we're calling on organizations and businesses — big and small, public and private — across the country to make sure all communities are ready to use this lifesaving tool to reduce opioid deaths,” the White House said in a statement. Sheet about the new initiative. As the drug supply becomes more dangerous and deadly, we are asking our partners to join us because we must all do our part to keep society safe.
Tandon suggested organizations like Ryan CompaniesA commercial real estate company has pledged to distribute naloxone and provide overdose response training to its nearly 2,000 employees.
“Safety is one of our core values, and construction workers are more likely to overdose than any other line of work, so we are committed to addressing the problem of overdoses,” Ryan CEO Brian Murray said in an email to on Tuesday. The company also provides naloxone first aid kits to more than 300 of its construction sites and offices across the US to ensure our workers are prepared for any serious situation, he added.
Other organizations being strengthened include the American Library Association, which is providing libraries with overdose response training for staff and the public, as well as supporting the distribution of naloxone and overdose relief materials to the public, the administration announced.
Southwest Airlines stocks naloxone in 65% of its planes' emergency medical kits and plans to stock 100% of its medical kits by the end of the year. The Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation's second largest, has placed naloxone in all K-12 schools, adult and early learning centers.
Tandon said this initiative is a key pillar of the administration's agenda.
Although the number of overdose deaths In recent years in America, The nation has many. Compared to other high-income countries, Research shows. About half of adults in the US say they personally know at least one person who has died of a drug overdose. survey It was released this year.
Overdose deaths increased by 30% between 2019 and 2020 and another 15% between 2020 and 2021, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Synthetic opioids were largely responsible.. Drug overdose deaths have reached high levels High In the year More than 109,000 by 2022, according to CDC interim data, and fentanyl is contributing to the growth.
Temporary Data Published by the agency in February, it suggests that 2023 is on track to be another devastating year. More than 111,000 people died of drug overdoses in the 12-month period ending in September. Synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl, were involved in more than two-thirds of these deaths.
“We know that the best way to save lives is to strengthen access to overdose-reversing drugs like naloxone,” Tandon said.