Considerations for the design of overdose education and naloxone distribution interventions: results of a multi-stakeholder workshop.

INTRODUCTION: Opioid overdose epidemic is a public health crisis that is impacting communities around the world. Overdose education and naloxone distribution programs equip and train lay people to respond in the event of an overdose. We aimed to understand factors to consider for the design of naloxone distribution programs in point-of-care settings from the point of view of community stakeholders. METHODS: We hosted a multi-stakeholder co-design workshop to elicit suggestions for a naloxone distribution program. We recruited people with lived experience of opioid overdose, community representatives, and other stakeholders from family practice, emergency medicine, addictions medicine, and public health to participate in a full-day facilitated co-design discussion wherein large and small group discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic approaches. RESULTS: A total of twenty-four participants participated in the multi-stakeholder workshop from five stakeholder groups including geographic and setting diversity. Collaborative dialogue and shared storytelling revealed seven considerations for the design of naloxone distribution programs specific to training needs and the provision of naloxone, these are: recognizing overdose, how much naloxone, impact of stigma, legal risk of responding, position as conventional first aid, friends and family as responders, support to call 911. CONCLUSION: To create an naloxone distribution program in emergency departments, family practice and substance use treatment services, stigma is a central design consideration for training and naloxone kits. Design choices that reference the iconography, type, and form of materials associated with first aid have the potential to satisfy the need to de-stigmatize overdose response.

The acceptability of overdose alert and response technologies: introducing the TPOM-ODART framework.

BACKGROUND: Opioids were implicated in approximately 88,000 fatal overdoses (OD) globally. However, in principle all opioid OD are reversible with the timely administration of naloxone hydrochloride. Despite the widespread availability of naloxone among people who use opioids (PWUO), many who suffer fatal OD use alone, without others present to administer the reversal agent. Recognising this key aspect of the challenge calls for innovations, a number of technological approaches have emerged which aim to connect OD victims with naloxone. However, the acceptability of OD response technologies to PWUO is of key concern. METHODS: Drawing on the Technology People Organisations Macroenvironment (TPOM) framework, this study sought to integrate acceptability-related findings in this space with primary research data from PWUO, affected family members and service providers to understand the factors involved in harm reduction technology acceptability. A qualitative study using a focus group methodology was conducted. The participant groups were people with lived experience of problem opioid use, affected family members and service providers. Data analysis followed a multi-stage approach to thematic analysis and utilised both inductive and deductive methods. RESULTS: Thirty individuals participated in one of six focus groups between November 2021 and September 2022. The analysis generated six major themes, three of which are reported in this article-selected for their close relevance to PWUO and their importance to developers of digital technologies for this group. 'Trust-in technologies, systems and people' was a major theme and was closely linked to data security, privacy and confidentiality. 'Balancing harm reduction, safety and ambivalence' reflects the delicate balance technological solutions must achieve to be acceptable to PWUO. Lastly, 'readiness-a double bind' encapsulates the perception shared across participant groups, that those at the highest risk, may be the least able to engage with interventions. CONCLUSION: Effective digital strategies to prevent fatal OD must be sensitive to the complex relationships between technological, social/human, organisational and wider macroenvironmental factors which can enable or impede intervention delivery. Trust, readiness and performance are central to technology acceptability for PWUO. An augmented TPOM was developed (the TPOM-ODART).

Probing different paradigms of morphine withdrawal on sleep behavior in male and female C57BL/6J mice.

Opioid misuse has dramatically increased over the last few decades resulting in many people suffering from opioid use disorder (OUD). The prevalence of opioid overdose has been driven by the development of new synthetic opioids, increased availability of prescription opioids, and more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. Coinciding with increases in exposure to opioids, the United States has also observed increases in multiple Narcan (naloxone) administrations as a life-saving measures for respiratory depression, and, thus, consequently, naloxone-precipitated withdrawal. Sleep dysregulation is a main symptom of OUD and opioid withdrawal syndrome, and therefore, should be a key facet of animal models of OUD. Here we examine the effect of precipitated and spontaneous morphine withdrawal on sleep behaviors in C57BL/6 J mice. We find that morphine administration and withdrawal dysregulate sleep, but not equally across morphine exposure paradigms. Furthermore, many environmental triggers promote relapse to drug-seeking/taking behavior, and the stress of disrupted sleep may fall into that category. We find that sleep deprivation dysregulates sleep in mice that had previous opioid withdrawal experience. Our data suggest that the 3-day precipitated withdrawal paradigm has the most profound effects on opioid-induced sleep dysregulation and further validates the construct of this model for opioid dependence and OUD.

Opioid overdose prevention education in Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Distribution of naloxone and training on its proper use are evidence-based strategies for preventing opioid overdose deaths. In-person naloxone training was conducted in major metropolitan areas and urban centers across Texas as part of a state-wide targeted opioid response program. The training program transitioned to a live, virtual format during the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration. This manuscript describes the impact of this transition through analyses of the characteristics of communities reached using the new virtual training format. CASE PRESENTATION: Training participant addresses were compared to county rates of opioid overdose deaths and broadband internet access, and census block comparison to health services shortages, rural designation, and race/ethnicity community characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: The virtual training format reached more learners than the in-person events. Training reached nearly half of the counties in Texas, including all with recent opioid overdose deaths. Most participants lived in communities with a shortage of health service providers, and training reached rural areas, those with limited broadband internet availability, and majority Hispanic communities. In the context of restrictions on in-person gathering, the training program successfully shifted to a live, online format. This transition increased participation above rates observed pre-pandemic and reached communities with the need for equipping those most likely to witness an opioid overdose with the proper use of naloxone.

Opioid-involved overdose trainings delivered using remote learning modalities.

AIM: This education-focused study examined changes in nursing students' knowledge and attitudes towards responding to opioid-involved overdoses following participation in trainings delivered using remote learning modalities. DESIGN: This pre-post study examined learning outcomes among 17 nursing students. METHODS: Participants completed the Opioid Overdose Attitude Scale and Opioid Overdose Knowledge Scale to assess attitudes and knowledge, respectively. Trainings were delivered to two separate groups, one via virtual reality immersive video and another over video conferencing. RESULTS: Attitude scores increased by an average of 12.2 points and knowledge scores increased by 1.65 points. Within the virtual reality group, attitude scores increased by an average of 10 points, while no significant changes were observed in knowledge scores. The video conferencing group improved in both attitude and knowledge scores, by an average of 16.2 points and 2.1 points, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These hypothesis generating results illustrate the utility of remote learning approaches to deliver trainings, while maintaining social distance during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Priority setting for Canadian Take-Home Naloxone best practice guideline development: an adapted online Delphi method.

BACKGROUND: Take-Home Naloxone (THN) is a core intervention aimed at addressing the toxic illicit opioid drug supply crisis. Although THN programs are available in all provinces and territories throughout Canada, there are currently no standardized guidelines for THN programs. The Delphi method is a tool for consensus building often used in policy development that allows for engagement of stakeholders. METHODS: We used an adapted anonymous online Delphi method to elicit priorities for a Canadian guideline on THN as a means of facilitating meaningful stakeholder engagement. A guideline development group generated a series of key questions that were then brought to a 15-member voting panel. The voting panel was comprised of people with lived and living experience of substance use, academics specializing in harm reduction, and clinicians and public health professionals from across Canada. Two rounds of voting were undertaken to score questions on importance for inclusion in the guideline. RESULTS: Nine questions that were identified as most important include what equipment should be in THN kits, whether there are important differences between intramuscular and intranasal naloxone administration, how stigma impacts access to distribution programs, how effective THN programs are at saving lives, what distribution models are most effective and equitable, storage considerations for naloxone in a community setting, the role of CPR and rescue breathing in overdose response, client preference of naloxone distribution program type, and what aftercare should be provided for people who respond to overdoses. CONCLUSIONS: The Delphi method is an equitable consensus building process that generated priorities to guide guideline development.

Pharmacological Profiling of Antifentanyl Monoclonal Antibodies in Combination with Naloxone in Pre- and Postexposure Models of Fentanyl Toxicity.

The incidence of fatal drug overdoses in the United States is an alarming public health threat that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in over 100,000 deaths between April 2020 and April 2021. A significant portion of this is attributable to widespread access to fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, alone or in combination with heroin or psychostimulants, such as cocaine or methamphetamine. Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) offer prophylactic and therapeutic interventions against opioid overdose by binding opioids in serum, reducing distribution of drug to the brain and other organs. Here, we investigated the efficacy of a leading antifentanyl mAb, clone HY6-F9, in reversal and prevention of fentanyl-induced toxicity compared with the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone (NLX) in rats. In postexposure models, rats were challenged with fentanyl, followed by HY6-F9, NLX, or both. HY6-F9 reversed fentanyl-induced antinociception, respiratory depression, and bradycardia, and rats retained protection against additional challenges for at least 1 week. Although intravenous NLX reversed fentanyl-induced respiratory depression more rapidly than mAb alone, kinetics of reversal by intravenous mAb were similar to subcutaneous NLX. Coadministration of mAb and NLX provided greater protection than individual treatments against high doses of fentanyl. Prophylactic administration of mAb reduced the ED50 of NLX approximately twofold against 2.25 mg/kg of fentanyl. Finally, mAb sequestered fentanyl and its metabolite norfentanyl in serum and reduced brain concentrations of fentanyl. These results support the translation of mAb as medical interventions alone or in combination with NLX to prevent and reverse fentanyl-related overdose. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Fentanyl-related overdoses have increased dramatically in the US and worldwide. Currently, approved pharmacotherapies for treatment of opioid use disorder and reversal of overdose are not sufficient to curb the incidence of opioid-related deaths. Additionally, fentanyl and its potent analogs present a potential risk from use in deliberate poisoning or chemical attacks. This study demonstrates the use of monoclonal antibodies as a countermeasure to fentanyl-induced toxicity in pre- and postexposure scenarios, supporting their use in combination with the opioid antagonist naloxone.

Triple Threat: Response to the Crises of COVID-19, Homelessness, and Opioid Use Disorder With a Novel Approach to Buprenorphine Delivery: A Case Series.

OBJECTIVES: In the setting of a 50% increase in opioid overdose deaths, the coronavirus disease 2019 crisis opened housing opportunities in the form of Shelter in Place (SIP) hotels to homeless San Francisco residents. Many who entered SIP hotels had opioid use disorder. In fall 2020, Community Behavioral Health Services Pharmacy partnered with SIP hotel medical staff to launch a pilot project, where on-site SIP medical providers prescribed buprenor-phine (BUP) and clinical pharmacists hand-delivered BUP to SIP residents to increase BUP initiation and engagement. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of 3 patients living in SIP hotels starting BUP to demonstrate the feasibility of a SIP hotel BUP delivery program. RESULTS: In all 3 cases, patients were able to start and continue BUP with on-site medical staff visits and delivery of medications by pharmacists. Each case highlights different barriers that were overcome by this system. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that this system of onsite medical care with pharmacist delivery is possible and has the potential to allow for greater outreach and increased ease of obtaining medications for patients.

Expanding the accessibility of harm reduction services in the United States: Measuring the impact of an automated harm reduction dispensing machine.

BACKGROUND: In 2021, approximately 107,622 Americans died from drug overdose in the United States. With overdose deaths rising rapidly, it is imperative that prevention efforts focus on expanding proven, evidence-based strategies to curb overdose death rates such as targeted naloxone distribution and syringe service programs (SSPs). The COVID-19 pandemic placed additional strain on SSPs, increasing the need for programs that minimize direct contact and potential COVID-19 exposure. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of an automated harm reduction dispensing machine on the local accessibility of harm reduction services. OBJECTIVES: The primary outcome of the study is the number of harm reduction supplies distributed to the community by the dispensing machine in its first year compared to the number of supplies distributed by the same organization in the previous year. Secondary outcomes include the countywide incidence of fatal drug overdose and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) compared to previous years. METHODS: The machine is located outside, in the same location as a once weekly, in-person SSP. Clients register with the program over the phone with a harm reduction coordinator. Each client is connected to products and services such as naloxone, sharps containers, safer injection/smoking kits, pregnancy tests, HIV tests, substance use disorder treatment, and more. RESULTS: Since installation, 637 individuals registered with the program, 12% of whom had never reportedly used harm reduction services before. Within its first year of use, the machine dispensed 3360 naloxone doses and 10,155 fentanyl test strips, more than any other SSP in the county. CONCLUSION: The implementation of an automated harm reduction dispensing machine led to an increased accessibility of harm reduction products and services and was associated with a lower countywide incidence of unintentional overdose death and HIV. The association with decreased overdose death and HIV incidence should be further investigated to assess causality.

Attitude changes following short-form opioid overdose video education: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Opioid overdose response training (OORT) and the need for its rapid expansion have become more significant as the opioid epidemic continues to be a health crisis in the USA. Limitation of funding and stigmatization often hinders expansion of OORT programs. Primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been widespread transition from in-person to virtual communication. However, OORT programs may benefit from long-term use of this modality of education if it can be as effective. OBJECTIVE: To measure the change in participant attitude after a brief, virtual OORT. METHODS: A 6.5-min OORT video explained recognition of opioid overdose, appropriate response and proper administration of intranasal naloxone. Pre- and post-video scores from a 19-item survey were used to determine the video's impact on participants' self-perceived competence and readiness to administer naloxone to a person with a suspected opioid overdose. Paired t tests were used in the analysis of pre- and post-video scores. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis H testing were used to compare variance between several demographic subgroups of interest. RESULTS: A sample of 219 participants had a significant mean difference of 15.12 (SD 9.48; 95% CI 13.86-16.39, p < 0.001) between pre- and posttest scores. Improvements were found to be greatest in content-naïve participants with lower levels of education and non-health care-related jobs than participants endorsing previous content awareness, formal naloxone training, masters, doctorate or professional degrees and health care-related jobs. CONCLUSION: This pilot study demonstrated encouraging evidence that a brief, virtual, pre-recorded educational intervention improved participant-rated competence and readiness to administer intranasal naloxone in a suspected opioid overdose. Due to scalability and ability to overcome common healthcare accessibility barriers, short-form videos focused on key facts about naloxone and the benefits of its use could be part of a strategy for rapid expansion of OORT programs to mitigate opioid overdose fatalities.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on opioid overdose and other adverse events in the USA and Canada: a systematic review.

IMPORTANCE: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted healthcare beyond COVID-19 infections. A better understanding of how COVID-19 worsened the opioid crisis has potential to inform future response efforts. OBJECTIVE: To summarize changes from the COVID-19 pandemic on outcomes regarding opioid use and misuse in the USA and Canada. EVIDENCE REVIEW: We searched MEDLINE via PubMed, EMBASE, and CENTRAL for peer-reviewed articles published between March 2020 and December 2021 that examined outcomes relevant to patients with opioid use, misuse, and opioid use disorder by comparing the period before vs after COVID-19 onset in the USA and Canada. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, assessed methodological quality and bias via Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and synthesized results. FINDINGS: Among 20 included studies, 13 (65%) analyzed service utilization, 6 (30%) analyzed urine drug testing results, and 2 (10%) analyzed naloxone dispensation. Opioid-related emergency medicine utilization increased in most studies (85%, 11/13) for both service calls (17% to 61%) and emergency department visits (42% to 122%). Urine drug testing positivity results increased in all studies (100%, 6/6) for fentanyl (34% to 138%), most (80%, 4/5) studies for heroin (-12% to 62%), and most (75%, 3/4) studies for oxycodone (0% to 44%). Naloxone dispensation was unchanged and decreased in one study each. INTERPRETATION: Significant increases in surrogate measures of the opioid crisis coincided with the onset of COVID-19. These findings serve as a call to action to redouble prevention, treatment, and harm reduction efforts for the opioid crisis as the pandemic evolves. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42021236464.

Evaluating the impact of naloxone dispensation at public health vending machines in Clark County, Nevada.

INTRODUCTION: Implementing public health vending machines (PHVMs) is an evidence-based strategy for mitigating substance use-associated morbidity and mortality via the dispensation of essential supplies to people who use drugs, including overdose prevention resources. PHVMs have been implemented throughout the world; however, their implementation in the United States (US) is a recent phenomenon. In 2017, Trac-B Exchange (a syringe services program in Clark County, Nevada) installed three PHVMs. In 2019, naloxone dispensation was launched at PHVMs in Clark County. The purpose of this research is to examine the extent to which naloxone dispensation at PHVMs was associated with changes in opioid-involved overdose fatalities. METHODS: Monthly counts of opioid-involved overdose fatalities among Clark County residents that occurred from January 2015 to December 2020 were used to build an autoregressive integrated moving averages (ARIMA) model to measure the impact of naloxone dispensation at PHVMs. We forecasted the number of expected opioid-involved overdose fatalities had naloxone dispensation at PHVMs not occurred and compared to observed monthly counts. Interrupted time series analyses (ITSA) were used to evaluate the step (i.e. the immediate impact of naloxone dispensation at PHVMs on opioid-involved overdose fatalities) and slope change (i.e. changes in trend and directionality of monthly counts of opioid-involved overdose fatalities following naloxone dispensation at PHVMs). RESULTS: During the 12-months immediately following naloxone dispensation at PHVMs, our model forecasted 270 opioid-involved overdose fatalities, but death certificate data indicated only 229 occurred, suggesting an aversion of 41 deaths. ITSA identified a significant negative step change in opioid-involved overdose fatalities at the time naloxone dispensation at PHVMs was launched (B = -8.52, p = .0022) and a significant increasing slope change (B = 1.01, p<.0001). Forecasts that extended into the COVID-19 pandemic suggested worsening trends in overdose fatalities. CONCLUSION: Naloxone dispensation at PHVMs was associated with immediate reductions in opioid-involved overdose fatalities. Key MessagesNaloxone dispensation at PHVMs was associated with immediate reductions in opioid-involved overdose fatalities.Communities should consider implementing public health vending machines in efforts to prevent opioid-involved overdose fatalities.The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the overdose crisis.

Naloxone administration by law enforcement officers in New York State (2015-2020).

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the need for wide deployment of effective harm reduction strategies in preventing opioid overdose mortality. Placing naloxone in the hands of key responders, including law enforcement officers who are often first on the scene of a suspected overdose, is one such strategy. New York State (NYS) was one of the first states to implement a statewide law enforcement naloxone administration program. This article provides an overview of the law enforcement administration of naloxone in NYS between 2015 and 2020 and highlights key characteristics of over 9000 opioid overdose reversal events. METHODS: Data in naloxone usage report forms completed by police officers were compiled and analyzed. Data included 9133 naloxone administration reports by 5835 unique officers located in 60 counties across NYS. Descriptive statistics were used to examine attributes of the aided individuals, including differences between fatal and non-fatal incidents. Additional descriptive analyses were conducted for incidents in which law enforcement officers arrived first at the scene of suspected overdose. Comparisons were made to examine year-over-year trends in administration as naloxone formulations were changed. Quantitative analysis was supplemented by content analysis of officers' notes (n = 2192). RESULTS: In 85.9% of cases, law enforcement officers arrived at the scene of a suspected overdose prior to emergency medical services (EMS) personnel. These officers assessed the likelihood of an opioid overdose having occurred based on the aided person's breathing status and other information obtained on the scene. They administered an average of 2 doses of naloxone to aided individuals. In 36.8% of cases, they reported additional administration of naloxone by other responders including EMS, fire departments, and laypersons. Data indicated the aided survived the suspected overdose in 87.4% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: With appropriate training, law enforcement personnel were able to recognize opioid overdoses and prevent fatalities by administering naloxone and carrying out time-sensitive medical interventions. These officers provided life-saving services to aided individuals alongside other responders including EMS, fire departments, and bystanders. Further expansion of law enforcement naloxone administration nationally and internationally could help decrease opioid overdose mortality.

Leveraging Body-Worn Camera Footage to Better Understand Opioid Overdoses and the Impact of Police-Administered Naloxone.

Objectives. To investigate what transpires at opioid overdoses where police administer naloxone and to identify the frequency with which concerns about police-administered naloxone are observed. Methods. We reviewed body-worn camera (BWC) footage of all incidents where a Tempe, Arizona police officer administered naloxone or was present when the Tempe Fire Medical Rescue (TFMR) administered it, from February 3, 2020 to May 7, 2021 (n = 168). We devised a detailed coding instrument and employed univariate and bivariate analysis to examine the frequency of concerns regarding police-administered naloxone. Results. Police arrived on scene before the TFMR in 73.7% of cases. In 88.6% of calls the individual was unconscious when police arrived, but 94.6% survived the overdose. The primary concerns about police-administered naloxone were rarely observed. There were no cases of improper naloxone administration or accidental opioid exposure to an officer. Aggression toward police from an overdose survivor rarely occurred (3.6%), and arrests of survivors (3.6%) and others on scene (1.2%) were infrequent. Conclusions. BWC footage provides a unique window into opioid overdoses. In Tempe, the concerns over police-administered naloxone are overstated. If results are similar elsewhere, those concerns are barriers that must be removed. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(9):1326-1332. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.306918).

Outpatient Opioid and Naloxone Prescribing Practices at an Academic Medical Center during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

While improving opioid safety has been a national priority, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been associated with increased rates of opioid overdose. The present study characterized outpatient opioid and naloxone prescribing patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic. A retrospective chart review was conducted of adult patients receiving opioid therapy between August 2020 through October 2020 from outpatient clinics within a Texas health system. The primary outcome was naloxone co-prescription during the study period or within the year prior. During the study period, 1,368 patients received an opioid prescription, most of which were prescribed for chronic pain treatment (63.0%). Most opioid prescriptions (91.5%) were written for < 50 MME/day. For prescriptions written for acute pain, 78% were written for ≤ 10 days supply. While 31.1% of patients received gabapentinoid prescriptions, few (7.9%) received benzodiazepine or Z-hypnotic prescriptions. Twenty-two (1.6%) patients were co-prescribed naloxone. In this study, naloxone was rarely prescribed for outpatients receiving opioid prescriptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health systems should continue to prioritize adherence to evidence-based clinical guidelines and increase access to naloxone.

Disparities in naloxone prescriptions in a University Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Per the CDC, it is estimated that 69,710 opioid overdose deaths occurred in the United States from September 2019 to September 2020. However, it is unclear whether naloxone prescribing also increased or otherwise fluctuated in this time. The objective of this study was to characterize the naloxone prescribing rate in patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital in 2019 and 2020. METHODS: A cross-sectional, retrospective medical record review was performed on patients with OUD from January 2019 through December 2020. Naloxone prescribing, defined as either a written prescription or a provided take-home kit, was assessed for all patients with OUD. RESULTS: In 2019, 11,959 visits were made by 2962 unique patients with OUD, compared to 11,661 visits from 2,641 unique patients in 2020; 609 naloxone prescriptions were provided in 2019 (5.1%) and 619 in 2020 (5.3%). In both years, most OUD-related visits and naloxone prescriptions were from and to male, white, individuals. Compared with 2019, more naloxone prescriptions were given to uninsured patients in 2020 (33.2% vs 44.3%, p < 0.05), and more OUD patients were admitted to inpatient settings (26.0% vs 31.2%, p < 0.05) and received more naloxone prescriptions in the inpatient setting (46.3% vs 62.0%, p < 0.05) in 2020. The proportion of frequent users (i.e., visits ≥ 4 times/year) increased in 2020 for the emergency department (21.5% vs 26.4%, p < 0.001) and inpatient setting (24.9% vs 28.6%, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate the need for improving naloxone awareness in providers and prescribing for patients with OUD, particularly in emergency department and outpatient settings. Our results also demonstrated a disparity in naloxone prescribing; a disproportionate number of opioid-related emergency department visits and overdose deaths were noted in Black people and frequent users.

A rapid assessment of take-home naloxone provision during COVID-19 in Europe.

BACKGROUND: In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. In the following weeks, most European countries implemented national lockdowns to mitigate viral spread. Services for people who use drugs had to quickly revise their operating procedures to rearrange service provision while adhering to lockdown requirements. Given the scarcity of literature published on overdose prevention during COVID-19 in Europe, we aimed to examine how these changes to service provision affected take-home naloxone (THN) programmes and naloxone availability across Europe. METHODS: Between November 2020 and January 2021, we conducted a rapid assessment with country experts from European countries that provide THN. We sent country experts a template to report monthly THN distribution data (January 1, 2019-October 31, 2020) and a structured 6-item survey for completion. RESULTS: Responses were received from 14 of the 15 European countries with THN provision of which 11 participated in the rapid assessment: Austria, Denmark, England, Estonia, Lithuania, Northern Ireland, Norway, Scotland, Spain (Catalonia only), Sweden, and Wales. All reported reduced organisational capacity during COVID-19, and some put into place a range of novel approaches to manage the restrictions on face-to-face service provision. In six countries, the introduction of programme innovation occurred alongside the publication of government guidelines recommending increased THN provision during COVID-19. Eight of the eleven participating countries managed to maintain 2019-level monthly THN distribution rates or even increase provision during the pandemic. CONCLUSION: Through programme innovation supported by public guidelines, many European THN programmes managed to ensure stable or even increased THN provision during the pandemic, despite social distancing and stay-at-home orders affecting client mobility.

Buprenorphine and naloxone access in pharmacies within high overdose areas of Los Angeles during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Buprenorphine and naloxone are first-line medications for people who use opioids (PWUO). Buprenorphine can reduce opioid use and cravings, help withdrawal symptoms, and reduce risk of opioid overdose. Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can be administered to reverse an opioid overdose. Despite the utility of these medications, PWUO face barriers to access these medications. Downtown Los Angeles has high rates, and number, of opioid overdoses which could potentially be reduced by increasing distribution of naloxone and buprenorphine. This study aimed to determine the accessibility of these medications in a major urban city by surveying community pharmacies regarding availability of buprenorphine and naloxone, and ability to dispense naloxone without a prescription. METHODS: Pharmacies were identified in the Los Angeles downtown area by internet search and consultation with clinicians. Phone calls were made to pharmacies at two separate time points-September 2020 and March 2021 to ask about availability of buprenorphine and naloxone. Results were collected and analyzed to determine percentage of pharmacies that had buprenorphine and/or naloxone in stock, and were able to dispense naloxone without a prescription. RESULTS: Out of the 14 pharmacies identified in the downtown LA zip codes, 13 (92.9%) were able to be reached at either time point. The zip code with one of the highest rates of opioid-related overdose deaths did not have any pharmacies in the area. Most of the pharmacies were chain stores (69.2%). Eight of the 13 (61.5%) pharmacies were stocked and prepared to dispense buprenorphine upon receiving a prescription, and an equivalent number was prepared to dispense naloxone upon patient request, even without a naloxone prescription. All of the independent pharmacies did not have either buprenorphine or naloxone available. CONCLUSIONS: There is a large gap in care for pharmacies in high overdose urban zip codes to provide access to medications for PWUO. Unavailability of medication at the pharmacy-level may impede PWUO ability to start or maintain pharmacotherapy treatment. Pharmacies should be incentivized to stock buprenorphine and naloxone and encourage training of pharmacists in harm reduction practices for people who use opioids.

Real-world study of multiple naloxone administration for opioid overdose reversal among bystanders.

BACKGROUND: The increasing prevalence of highly potent, illicitly manufactured fentanyl and its analogues (IMF) in the USA is exacerbating the opioid epidemic which has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Narcan® (naloxone HCl) Nasal Spray has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for opioid-related overdoses. Due to the high potency of IMF, multiple naloxone administrations (MNA) may be needed per overdose event. It is essential to determine the patterns of naloxone use, including MNA, and preferences among bystanders who have used naloxone for opioid overdose reversal. METHODS: A cross-sectional web-based survey was administered to 125 adult US residents who administered 4 mg Narcan® Nasal Spray during an opioid overdose in the past year. The survey asked about the most recent overdose event, the use of Narcan® during the event and the associated withdrawal symptoms, and participant preferences regarding dosages of naloxone nasal spray. An open-ended voice survey was completed by 35 participants. RESULTS: Participants were mostly female (70%) and white (78%), while reported overdose events most frequently occurred in people who were males (54%) and white (86%). Most events (95%) were successfully reversed, with 78% using ≥ 2 doses and 30% using ≥ 3 doses of Narcan® Nasal Spray. Over 90% were worried that 1 Narcan® box may not be enough for a successful future reversal. Reported withdrawal symptoms were similar in overdose events where 1 versus ≥ 2 sprays were given. Eighty-six percent of participants reported more confidence in an 8 mg versus a 4 mg naloxone nasal spray and 77% reported a stronger preference for 8 mg over 4 mg. CONCLUSIONS: MNA occurred in most overdose events, often involving more sprays than are provided in one Narcan® nasal spray box, and participants predominantly expressed having a stronger preference for and confidence in an 8 mg compared to a 4 mg nasal spray. This suggests the need and desire for a higher dose naloxone nasal spray formulation option. Given that bystanders may be the first to administer naloxone to someone experiencing an opioid overdose, ensuring access to an adequate naloxone supply is critical in addressing the opioid overdose epidemic.