Naloxone

Naloxone can rapidly restore breathing and prevent death in any person experiencing an opioid overdose, whether it is someone who intentionally uses opioids (e.g., heroin, prescription pills) or someone who is unknowingly exposed to an opioid (e.g., counterfeit Xanax).

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

The people who benefit from OEND programs vary widely, including individuals who use drugs, their friends and family members, or interested members of the public. Naloxone remains an effective medication, even in the current era of fentanyl and xylazine overdose. Although studies emphasize the success of OEND programs at key "touchpoints" such as prisons or emergency departments, they can also be successful in many other settings, such as public libraries or train stations.