Citation

Xu J, Davis CS, Cruz M, Lurie P. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2018; 189: 37-41.

Affiliation

Center for Science in the Public Interest, 1220 L St. N.W., Suite 300, Washington, DC, 20005, USA. Electronic address: plurie@cspinet.org.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.04.020

PMID

29860058

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In response to the ongoing opioid overdose epidemic, many states have enacted laws increasing naloxone access by lay people, such as friends and family members of people who use drugs (PWUD), as well as PWUD themselves.

METHOD: We utilized Symphony Health Solutions' PHAST Prescription data from 2007 to 2016 to investigate whether naloxone access laws were associated with an increase in naloxone dispensed from retail pharmacies in the United States.

RESULT: Using a negative binomial regression, we found that naloxone access laws were associated with an average increase of 78 prescriptions dispensed per state per quarter. This represents an average 79% increase in naloxone dispensed from U.S. retail pharmacies, compared with states where there were no such laws.

CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that naloxone access laws can increase the availability and accessibility of naloxone.

Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Law; Naloxone; Opioids; Overdose; Public health