Narcan

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved selling naloxone over the counter.

The drug would be the first opioid treatment drug to be sold without a prescription.

In New York State, residents can already obtain Narcan from a pharmacy without a prescription thanks to a standing prescription order from the State Department of Health.

The drug can reverse overdoses of opioids, including street drugs such as heroin and fentanyl and prescription versions including oxycodone.

The FDA sees making naloxone available more widely as a key strategy to control the nationwide overdose crisis, which has been linked to more than 100,000 U.S. deaths a year

Emergent BioSolutions, the company that makes Narcan, said they expect the drug will become available over-the-counter by late summer. Other brands of naloxone and injectable forms will not yet be available over the counter, but they could be soon.

Several manufacturers of generic naloxone that’s made similarly to Narcan will now be required to file applications to switch their drugs over the counter as part of a requirement by the FDA.

Xylazine, a non-opioid veterinary tranquilizer not approved for human use, is being found mixed with fentanyl and other opioids in communities nationwide. Added to these street drugs to extend their effects, xylazine also increases the already serious risk of a drug overdose.

Because it is not an opioid, xylazine does not respond to naloxone (Narcan®), the opioid overdose-reversing medication. Repeated use of xylazine is also associated with severe skin ulcers, abscesses, and related complications.

Media reports indicate xylazine has been found in cities nationwide, including in 90% of Philadelphia’s street drug supply. In the Chautauqua County region, lab analyses of drugs seized by local law enforcement agencies have also discovered the presence of xylazine.

Resources to help those struggling with substance use can be found at CombatAddictionCHQ.com. Individuals who continue to use illicit drugs are advised that naloxone, while ineffective against xylazine, does still reverse the effects of opioids present in someone experiencing an overdose.

WRFA’s Julia Ciesla-Hanley speaks with Mental Health Association Executive Director Steven Cobb about the FDA possibly approving naloxone to be offered over the counter.

Narcan

The FDA is considering making naloxone available over the counter in the United States.

Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can reverse an overdose from opioids, including heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioid medications,, when given in time.

The panel of Food and Drug Administration experts voted unanimously last week in favor of the switch after a full day of presentations and discussions centered on whether untrained users would be able to safely and effectively use the nasal spray in emergency situations.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, over 106,000 people died of opioid-related overdoses in 2021.

Mental Health Association in Chautauqua County Executive Director Steven Cobb is enthused about the news and said it will help remove stigma, “When you make something over the counter, I think it shows to a broader bunch of people that it’s safe to use and that people can handle using it. And it also makes Naloxone, or Narcan, which is a brand name, just available to a larger segment of the population.”

Cobb said people in New York can already obtain Narcan from a pharmacy without a prescription thanks to a standing prescription order from the State Department of Health, “New York State will cover the co-pay for your insurance, whether it’s private pay insurance or whether it’s Medicaid or Medicare. The pharmacist will put it through on your prescription and then New York State will cover the co-pay for three boxes of Narcan per year per New York State resident.”

Cobb said if the FDA approval goes through, he’d like to see Narcan made available through vending machines anywhere people who use substances gather, including health facilities, libraries, bars, and more.

He stressed that Narcan is not a drug that can be abused, “Unless you have opiates in your system, Narcan will have no effect on you. And there’s no ability to get high. You can’t be poisoned by Narcan. It’s a very safe drug to use for the community, to feel comfortable using, safety-wise there are no issues.”

A vote on the matter by the FDA is expected by the end of March.

For more information about Naloxone and training on how to use it, contact the MHA at 716-661-9044 or visit mhachautauqua.org

Heroin overdoses

New York State Police said from January 27 to February 7, 2023, there were 94 overdoses reported including six deaths. In Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties there were 20 overdoses and 3 deaths.

Police said Naloxone, also known as Narcan, was administered 57 times during this time frame. They caution that the more lethal strand of heroin being distributed may cause death.

If you or a family member, friend or acquaintance struggle with opiate use, help can be found through CombatAddictionCHQ.com, the State Office of Addiction Services and Supports at www.oasas.ny.gov, or through the HOPEline at 1-877-846-7369.

Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation requiring the supply of opioid antagonists. Opioid antagonists, such as Naloxone, can reverse the fatal effects of an opioid overdose.

In addition to ensuring all State University of New York and City University of New York owned or operated housing facilities stock this vital medicine, resident assistants and other designated employees of the colleges will be trained to administer these antagonists in the case of overdose emergencies.

This bill comes in response to the ongoing opioid epidemic crisis. Opioid overdoses have surpassed gun-related murders and car accidents as the leading cause of death for Americans under 50 years old, with as many as 64,000 people last year estimated to have lost their lives. New York State is no exception to this crisis, experiencing over 2,939 fatal overdoses in 2019.

Since the beginning of August, there have been 24 non-fatal overdoses, and 4 suspected fatal overdoses reported to the ODMAP system. Naloxone (Narcan) was administered after at least 19 of the 24 non-fatal overdoses, and at least 1 of 4 suspected fatal overdoses. All four of the recent suspected fatal overdoses involved heroin or some other opioid. Heroin was the suspected drug listed in 19 of the 24 non-fatal overdose incidents.

On average, Chautauqua County experienced about 20 overdoses per month in 2019. Through July 2020, the County has experienced an average of 29 overdoses per month.

“Over the last year, Chautauqua County Government has collaborated with the Mental Health Association and local law enforcement agencies to improve outreach to individuals who have experienced overdose.” stated Christine Schuyler, Director of Health and Human Services. “We know this program works and these recent overdoses show how critically important it is for everyone to work together and connect people in need to appropriate resources.”

The peer response program provides resources and support to victims of overdose, with a goal of helping them find connection, harm reduction resources, and opportunities for recovery.

Patricia Brinkman, Director of Community Mental Hygiene Services, reminds county residents of the range of prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction services available in Chautauqua County. “We urge people to utilize CombatAddictionCHQ.com to learn more about addiction and to find specific services available throughout our county.”

Chautauqua County government and its partners encourage people who use drugs, and their family members, to take advantage of local resources for harm reduction and recovery. People who use drugs and their families should obtain a naloxone (Narcan) kit if they do not have one on hand, and should be prepared to call 911. Visit CombatAddictionCHQ.com to learn about chemical dependency services available throughout the County.

The New York State 911 Good Samaritan Law allows people to call 911 without fear of arrest if they are having a drug or alcohol overdose that requires emergency medical care or if they witness someone overdosing.

“In the face of an uptick in overdoses that we are experiencing, I encourage people to reduce harm in any way possible. Remember that fentanyl can be in any drug now, not just heroin. Make sure you have Narcan accessible and try not to use alone,” commented Steven Cobb, Executive Director of MHA. “If you’re looking for help with recovery, decreasing use, or using in a safer way, the MHA can connect people anywhere in Chautauqua County with a Recovery Coach by calling 716-661-9044.”

The Mental Health Association in Chautauqua County has many resources to assist individuals suffering substance use disorders and their families. Recovery coaches through the MHA can help people throughout Chautauqua County with recovery, decreasing use, or using in a safer way. Call the MHA at 716-661-9044 or send a message to the MHA Chautauqua Facebook page for assistance, information, or to access Narcan.

Evergreen Health Services offers harm reduction tools including a Syringe Exchange Program, naloxone training and distribution, testing for HIV and sexually transmitted disease, and support for those in crisis. They can be reached by calling 716-541-0678.

If you are with someone who experiences overdose, call 911, and administer naloxone (Narcan) if it is available.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer

WASHINGTON – New York’s two representatives in the U.S. Senate both took time out on Wednesday to address to growing heroin and opioid epidemic that continues to affect communities across upstate new York, including here Chautauqua County.

On Wednesday, Senator Charles Schumer can out in support of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2015, or CARA, which recently passed the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Schumer called the bill a critical first step in the fight against heroin and opioids, expanding the availability of naloxone – also known as narcan – to law enforcement and first responders, improving prescription drug monitoring programs, shifting resources to identifying and treating incarcerated people suffering from addiction, and prohibiting the Department of Education from questioning students about prior drug convictions on financial aid forms.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

Meanwhile, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand delivered a speech on the Senate floor urging Congress to pass her bipartisan legislation to help combat the opioid epidemic.

Senators Gillibrand and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced the Preventing Overprescribing for Pain Act as an amendment to the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act.

While addressing the senate, Gillibrand said the opioid addiction problem in the country is continuing to grow and congress needs to act.

“Last year alone, in communities all across the country, including many in New York, 1,400,000 more Americans started abusing opioids, and every day, 44 more people are killed by an overdose,” Gillibrand said. “We’ve seen enough data to know that our opioid addiction problem is spiraling out of control. Opioid addiction is destroying too many lives in our cities, too many families in our rural communities, and too many young men and women in our suburbs.”

Senator Gillibrand’s legislation would require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue guidelines for the safe prescribing of opioids for the treatment of acute pain. The CDC is currently only focused on guidelines for opioids prescribed to treat chronic pain.

The drug overdose problem continues to be an issue locally in Chautauqua County. According to Rick Huber from the Mental Health Association, the county has had eight confirmed overdose deaths in just the past two weeks in the Jamestown area, and he said his office is also awaiting word on two more.

Huber believes the county and the state needs to focus resources on more long-term treatment solutions to help residents overcome their addiction. He said until the treatment side of the issue is addressed, heroin and opioid addiction will continue to be a serious problem in our communities.

ALBANY – Governor Andrew Cuomo Wednesday announced independent pharmacies across the state will now be able to provide naloxone to their customers without a prescription.

Naloxone – also known as Narcan® — is a medication that reverses opioid overdose. Improved accessibility to the medication is one of the priorities at the center of the Governor’s fight to end opioid abuse in New York State.

The governor said that by making Narcan available in drugstores without a prescription, the state is continuing to prevent needless tragedies from occurring and ensuring that all New Yorkers have access to this critical medication.

When administered either through injection or by nasal spray, naloxone temporarily blocks the effects of opioids allowing a stricken individual to regain consciousness. The potentially life-threatening opioids include medicines prescribed to address pain as well as illicit drugs such as heroin.

Naloxone poses no danger to individuals who come into contact with it, and has no potential for being abused. It works only if a person has opioids in his or her system; the medication has no effect if opioids are absent.

Independent pharmacies wanting to dispense naloxone under HRC’s standing order should send an email to naloxone@harmreduction.org.

New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the State’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).

Visit www.combatheroin.ny.gov for more information on addressing heroin and prescription opioid abuse, including a Kitchen Table Tool Kit to help start the conversation about the warning signs of addiction and where to get help.

The class is open to the public and will provide training to community members who wish to learn to respond to an opioid overdose by administering naloxone, also known as Narcan.  Narcan is an opioid antagonist which reverses opiate effects of sedation and respiratory depression during an opioid overdose. Narcan can be administered by first responders or friends and family of someone who is experiencing an opiate overdose.

The goal of the training is to prevent death and other negative consequences of opioid overdose by training nonmedical responders to recognize a suspected opioid overdose and to take appropriate action. The learning objectives for participants include: identifying risk factors for overdose, recognizing the signs of an overdose, performing techniques to stimulate someone who appears to have overdosed, correctly performing rescue breathing, and correctly administering naloxone.

Upon successful completion of the 90 minute training, each participant will be provided with a certificate and a free naloxone (Narcan) kit. The training is open to the public. Please call CASAC at (716) 664-3608 to register for the training as spots are limited.