In June, the Sudbury and District Health Unit reported 124 people in Greater Sudbury died from drug toxicity between 2008 and 2014.
Of those 124 drug-related deaths, 108 were due to prescription drugs (primarily opioids).
Now, Ontario is making a drug commonly used to reverse the effects of opioids readily available at pharmacies for free, and without requiring a prescription.
Naloxone has long been used to reverse the effects of prescription drug overdoses.
Following a decision by the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) the province is making the drug available to eligible Ontarians at no charge to help reduce opioid overdoses.
On June 24, NAPRA reclassified naloxone as a Schedule II drug when used in an emergency opioid overdose situation outside of hospital settings. This change was effective immediately in Ontario.
As a result, naloxone can now be kept behind the counter in Ontario pharmacies and the province's pharmacists can now provide training on how to safely administer the drug. People at risk of an overdose (or their concerned family members or peers) will not need a prescription and will not pay anything when receiving naloxone.
The provincial government said in a press release that it recognizes that opioid addiction and overdose is a serious public health concern.
An overdose of opioid drugs — such as fentanyl, morphine, heroin, methadone or oxycodone — can cause a person's breathing to slow or stop entirely.
When injected, naloxone can reverse this effect so the person can breathe more normally and potentially regain consciousness. This provides precious time to seek emergency medical attention to treat the overdose.
Last year, Ontario joined other provinces and territories in calling for Health Canada to remove the prescription status of naloxone. Previously, naloxone was available only by prescription or through the Ontario Naloxone Program.
