May 1, 2018 – Naloxone for All

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:03 — 1.5MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Anchor lead: Who should carry opioid antidotes? Elizabeth Tracey reports

Should more people carry naloxone to reverse opioid overdose, as was advised recently by the US Surgeon General? Eric Strain, a drug abuse expert at Johns Hopkins, comments.

Strain: We’ve got these astronomical numbers of people dying from opioid overdoses, and I think we’re reaching the stage where we have to do everything possible to try to reverse that. I would quickly add to that I think we also need to understand what is happening to people who do get successfully reversed with naloxone. Are they getting into treatment? Because reversing them with naloxone can save their life temporarily but we need to save their life permanently. And we need to to do that by getting them into treatment. And I’m not sure that we’re closely linking the two. :32

Strain admits it’s unclear on exactly what mechanisms would need to be in place to assure that those who required naloxone administration would also be referred for treatment, but advocates for such a strategy. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.