June 02, 2016
Image courtesy of ADAPT Pharma, Inc.Responding to public demand for tools and information to help stem the growing opioid overdose epidemic, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has created a web section dedicated to resources about the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone. The new web resource includes information about the medication, how, and by whom, it can be given, and where to obtain it. Additionally, dosage information, precautions, and the side effects of naloxone are highlighted.
The need for public information about naloxone increased with two recent Food and Drug Administration approvals of naloxone products (prepackaged nasal spray and auto-inject formulations) that are easier for consumer use, giving new hope to families who are struggling with loved ones battling opioid addiction. The NIDA naloxone web page also includes links to pharmacies that offer naloxone (with and without a prescription), related NIDA resources, as well as related federal and private sector websites.
More than 18,000 people died in 2014 from an opioid pain reliever overdose and over 10,000 died from heroin-related overdoses. Naloxone is now a front line tool used by first responders in preventing opioid overdose deaths.
To view the NIDA naloxone web page, go to
https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/naloxone
For more information, contact the NIDA press office at media@nida.nih.gov or 301-443-6245. Follow NIDA on Twitter and Facebook. The NIDA website is www.drugabuse.gov.
Contact:
NIDA Press Office
301-443-6245
media@nida.nih.gov
About the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports most of the world’s research on the health aspects of drug use and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to inform policy, improve practice, and advance addiction science. Fact sheets on the health effects of drugs and information on NIDA research and other activities can be found at www.drugabuse.gov, which is now compatible with your smartphone, iPad or tablet. To order publications in English or Spanish, call NIDA’s DrugPubs research dissemination center at 1-877-NIDA-NIH or 240-645-0228 (TDD) or email requests to drugpubs@nida.nih.gov. Online ordering is available at drugpubs.drugabuse.gov. NIDA’s media guide can be found at www.drugabuse.gov/publications/media-guide/dear-journalist, and its easy-to-read website can be found at www.easyread.drugabuse.gov. You can follow NIDA on Twitter and Facebook.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
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