Naloxone

Naloxone is now sold over-the-counter and can be purchased at most pharmacies for around $50 for a two-dose pack. Institutions seeking to build an OEND program can buy naloxone directly from the manufacturer or find a publicly-funded naloxone supply in their area.

Naloxone — Evidence Rating: High Quality

Evidence supporting opioid overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) programs is summarized in at least eight systematic reviews. These draw mostly from observational study designs, including case series, cohort studies, and quality improvement studies. There are very few randomized controlled trials evaluating OEND programs, largely due to the overwhelming body of real-world evidence supporting naloxone distribution; this is common for interventions with substantial face-value credibility, such as parachutes or epinephrine pens. The few existing randomized controlled trials of OEND programs tend to compare one OEND implementation strategy to another OEND implementation strategy

Evidence-based Scale

The price of naloxone is roughly $50 for a two-dose pack, which can become expensive when purchasing a large number of naloxone kits. Although naloxone can be obtained at a pharmacy, not all pharmacies stock it consistently or at all. Fortunately, many local and state governments now have publicly funded naloxone supplies to support institutional OEND programs. Vending machines can be newly purchased or existing units can be adapted to house naloxone. Depending on specific local and statewide regulations, OEND programs may also need to keep records of naloxone dispensing for reporting purposes. Naloxone should be stored at room temperature and the FDA has approved a shelf-life of up to 4 years.

The major costs of running an OEND program come from:

  1. Purchasing a supply of naloxone medication for distribution and
  2. Funding personnel to manage the program and conduct opioid overdose education and naloxone dispensing.