Increase in naloxone prescriptions dispensed in US retail pharmacies since 2013

C.M. Jones, P.G. Lurie and W.M. Compton

American Journal of Public Health, 2016, vol. 106, issue 4, 689-690

Abstract: Distribution of naloxone, traditionally through community-based naloxone programs, is a component of a comprehensive strategy to address the epidemic of prescription opioid and heroin overdose deaths in the United States. Recently, there has been increased focus on naloxone prescription in the outpatient setting, particularly through retail pharmacies, yet data on this practice are sparse.We found an 1170% increase in naloxone dispensing from US retail pharmacies between the fourth quarter of 2013 and the second quarter of 2015. These findings suggest that prescribing naloxone in the outpatient setting complements traditional community-based naloxone programs.

Keywords: naloxone; narcotic analgesic agent; narcotic antagonist, adolescent; adult; age distribution; aged; drug overdose; female; human; male; middle aged; pharmacy; prescription; statistics and numerical data; trends; United States; young adult, Adolescent; Adult; Age Distribution; Aged; Analgesics, Opioid; Drug Overdose; Drug Prescriptions; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Naloxone; Narcotic Antagonists; Pharmacies; United States; Young Adult (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2016.303062_9

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303062

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