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Naloxone Made Widely Available In Michigan After Governor Snyder Order
Nathan McLain
Thu, 25 May 2017 21:20:56 EDT
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Governor Rick Snyder authorized the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Thursday to issue an order that pre-authorizes the distribution of naloxone by pharmacists to eligible individuals. Naloxone is a medication that reverses an opioid overdose. Pharmacists that receive the order will be able to administer the drug to those at risk of an overdose. At this time, only law enforcement and other first responders can administer naloxone. States across the country have seen an increase in the number of opioid-related overdoses over the past few years. In Michigan, there were only 473 opioid-related deaths in 2007. In 2015, that number jumped to 1,275. Governor Snyder said, “Naloxone is a tool in the fight against opioid addiction that can save lives immediately and we need to make sure all residents statewide have access, both in rural areas and urban centers. Our entire state has been affected by this horrible epidemic. I have said that state government will use all possible resources to reverse the course of the opioid crisis. This is one more action that demonstrates our full commitment to addressing the problem.”
