Naloxone

Naloxone is most commonly administered to a person experiencing an opioid overdose through a nasal spray device called Narcan. OEND programs are typically offered alongside other treatments for substance use disorder, such as counseling and medications.

Evidence for the intervention

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

Naloxone can be administered using different types of devices, but the most common versions are administered by spraying the nose or injecting it into the thigh. The intranasal spray (branded as Narcan) is the most popular type of delivery device; it is a small bottle that is fitted on one end with a plastic nozzle with a depressible plunger. Because multiple opioid overdoses are common and expected during treatment for opioid use disorder, OEND programs play an important role in any larger treatment strategy for substance use disorder.