Vermont Business Magazine Following on Governor Shumlin's order from last week that a heroin overdose drug be made available across Vermont without prescription, Kinney Drugs announced that starting today, August 30, it will offer patients Naloxone, also known as Narcan, an opioid antagonist medication that counteracts the effects of an overdose from opioids, in both Vermont and New York.
“We believe that it’s important to offer this medication without a prescription to patients who are in need. By doing this, we hope to not only prevent opioid overdose deaths in Vermont, but to also help individuals with their recovery process,” said David Adsit, director of pharmacy operations for Kinney Drugs.
Drug overdose is the leading cause of injury death in the United States, causing more deaths than motor vehicle crashes. Providing overdose prevention, recognition, and response education can help reduce overdose deaths and save lives.
Naloxone is a non-addictive, prescription medication that poses no dangers to individuals who come into contact with it, and has no potential for being abused. This drug counteracts depression of the central nervous system and the respiratory system, which allows an overdosed patient to be able to breathe normally. The effects of this drug can last up to half an hour making it important for individuals who received naloxone to go immediately to the hospital.
Traditionally, this drug is administered by health care professionals. However, Naloxone can be administered by minimally trained individuals so they can treat overdose in people who were prescribed an opioid pain medication or who have used heroin or other opioids. Now it is used routinely by EMT personnel and police officers.
“Our pharmacists have received the appropriate training needed to teach responders how to administer Naloxone,” said Adsit. “All Kinney Drugs locations will now offer Naloxone to our customers in order to treat those individuals who are at risk for an opioid overdose.”
Naloxone will be available without a prescription at all Kinney Drugs locations in Vermont and New York. To find the Kinney Drugs nearest you, visit www.kinneydrugs.com/locations or download the Kinney Drugs mobile app.
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Source: Gouverneur, N.Y. Aug. 30, 2016, Kinney Drugs