Naloxone, sometimes sold under the brand name Narcan, is a medication that can rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
The new initiative encourages organizational leaders to commit to train employees on how to use opioid overdose medications, to keep naloxone in first aid and emergency kits and to distribute the medication to employees and customers.
To expand access, the US Food and Drug Administration approved an over-the-counter Narcan spray in March 2023, and it approved the first generic non-prescription nasal spray in July.
Companies, including Southwest Airlines, have put naloxone in emergency medical kits on 65% of its planes and plans to stock 100% of its medical kits by the end of the year.
The George Washington University has experts available to discuss this initiative, what this could mean for the opioid crisis and details on Narcan. If you would like to schedule an interview, please contact Katelyn Deckelbaum, [email protected].
Cynthia Awadzi, is a licensed family nurse practitioner and a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner at the GW School of Nursing. She can speak to a number of aspects of the national opioid crisis, including treatment options, risk factors and this new initiative.
Monica Ruiz, an associate professor of prevention and community health at the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health, can talk about addiction treatment and the efforts aimed at keeping people with substance use disorders safe.
Robert Shesser, a professor and Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the GW School of Medicine and Health Science can discuss the impact and usage of Narcan in emergency medicine.
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