Naloxone is a medication used as a safe and effective agent for reversing the effects of opioids, including prescription opiates (e.g. methadone, codeine, fentanyl, and morphine) and illicit opiates such as heroin.
The primary appeal of Naloxone is that it is effective at reversing overdoses quickly, and there are virtually no side effects from the drug. In 2016, Naloxone was downgraded from a schedule 4 Drug of the Poisons List (GP only medication) to a schedule 3 drug, which allows for the purchase of Naloxone over the counter from a pharmacy, without a prescription.
Our team interviewed people who frequently inject drugs (PWID) in Tasmania. Over the past 5 years, around 80-90% of the people we speak with have recently used opioids, and around 5% of these people have also recently experienced an overdose. Notably, almost all reported having heard about Naloxone, but only around half would choose to carry it with them, and virtually nobody had recently bought Naloxone or taken part in training. Several findings may explain the low number of individuals carrying Naloxone on their person:
Less than half of the PWID opioid consumers reported to be aware of the rescheduling of Naloxone (44%)
Currently, Naloxone is unavailable in Tasmanian pharmacies
Consumer reports suggest that even if Naloxone were available, it may be too expensive or onerous to obtain. Clearly the move to over-the-counter access to naloxone has not produced the increase in access that was the aim of this policy. This is a prime issue that needs collaborative efforts from policy makers and consumers to improve outcomes.
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