When a family or friends of an overdose victim are in a crisis situation of reviving the individual, time is of the essence in saving a life.
The administration of Gov. Tom Wolf hopes to address that situation by providing free naloxone from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday to any Pennsylvanian who wants it as “Part of Stop Overdoses in Pa.: Get Help Now Week.”
The medication will be distributed at state health centers and county/municipal health centers that include area facilities in Bradford, Coudersport, Emporium and St. Marys. The distributions, which will also take place in 76 other health centers across the state, is part of the administration’s ongoing effort to reduce the number of opioid overdoses and get residents into treatment.
“The life-saving medication naloxone is essential for all of us to have on hand, particularly if you have a loved one suffering from opioid-use disorder,” Wolf said. “We want to ensure that through this opportunity for free naloxone, we can save more lives and get more Pennsylvanians into treatment. Keeping naloxone in your home, work or even in your car can make the difference between someone getting into treatment or dying from this disease.”
Naloxone is described as a medication that can reverse an overdose caused by an opioid by blocking the effects of opioids on the brain. Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine issued a standing order prescription to any Pennsylvanian to get naloxone at a pharmacy for anyone who may need it.
“Naloxone has one function: to reverse the effects of opioids on the brain and respiratory system and save someone’s life,” Levine said. “It is impossible to get someone into treatment who is dead. Every Pennsylvanian has a role to play as a potential first responder and can save a life by having naloxone on hand and using it if they come across someone who has overdosed.”
Since November 2014, more than 20,000 people have been revived with naloxone by police officers and EMS providers in Pennsylvania, Wolf’s office reports.
On the local level, McKean County District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer said
naloxone is a critical tool to prevent overdose deaths by opioids.
“The medication is currently carried by many first responders and is available at pharmacies,” she said. “The drug can prevent an overdose death by interfering with the flow of an opioid to the brain.This drug has been used in McKean County successfully.
“In one case, the police officer said that he was surprised the drug worked in preventing the death as it appeared the individual had already succumbed to the effects of the opioid — in that case fentanyl-laced heroin.”
She said family members of opioid abusers have the ability, with free access to the drug, to be able to prevent a possible death.
“Heroin and fentanyl has taken the lives of several young people in our county,” Shaffer added. “Naloxone has the potential to save others. It is important, however, to know that the effects of naloxone wear off and, when this occurs, an overdose is still possible.”
Shaffer said to prevent this from happening, a person given naloxone should be treated at the emergency room immediately. She said other tools implemented locally to fight the opioid addiction include the installation of medication drop boxes across the county to enable anyone to discard unused medication.
Bradford City Police Chief Chris Lucco also commented on the distribution of naloxone.
“Unfortunately, addiction is here amongst our population as well as in other areas of the country,” Lucco said. “I suppose it’s a beneficial program. Sadly, (the police) are not always going to be in a position to help somebody.
“If (naloxone) manages to save somebody’s life and they’re alive to hopefully get some help with long-term treatment, then I think it certainly is beneficial.”
Lucco said his officers carry naloxone and have administered it to individuals four to five times.
He said that while the local community has seen a decrease in overdoses over the last year and a half, statewide the situation is a large problem.
The governor’s office said that in addition to being able to get naloxone for free on Dec. 13, it is also available at most pharmacies across the state year-round. Naloxone is available to many with public and private insurance at pharmacies for free or at a low cost.
Additional information on Stop Overdoses Week and naloxone can be found on the state’s website at www.pa.gov/opioids or on Facebook or Twitter.
Local facilities where naloxone will be distributed are:
• McKean County – McKean County State Health Center, 84-90 Boylston St., Bradford.
• Potter County – Potter County State Health Center, 295 U.S. Route 6, West, Suite 1, Coudersport.
• Cameron County – Cameron County Recreation Center, 300 S. Chestnut St., Emporium.
• Elk County – Elk/Cameron County State Health Center, 778 Washington Road, St. Marys.
