Many pharmacies do not follow the law on opioid antidotes

In addition, they must have the medicine in hand. Many pharmacies that do not supply naloxone have said they do not have available storage space, given all the most popular medications that they have to carry and the low demand for naloxone.

Some pharmacists have a moral objection to providing drugs to opioid consumers, Puzantian said. They think that this only promotes drug addiction, but that is not the case, she said.

"Opioid overdoses do not occur only in people who consume heroin, so patients should ask their pharmacist if they are likely to overdose and if they could be a good candidate to have naloxone on hand, "said Puzantian.

In the second study, researchers led by Kirk Evoy, clinical assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin, investigated the availability of naloxone in chain pharmacies of the state. Texas also allows pharmacists to provide the drug without a prescription.

Of the 2,300 pharmacies contacted, 84% said they would provide the drug, but only 69% had it on their shelves. The researchers found that the nasal spray medication was the one most commonly available.

In pharmacies that had the drug in stock and would provide it without a prescription, patients could enter the pharmacy without consulting a doctor and get the same day naloxone in about 70% of the drugstore chains contacted, Evoy said.

Although chain stores like CVS and Walmart store naloxone, it's more important to make the drug available, he said.

"Hopefully, this study is a call to action for community pharmacies to better educate their pharmacists and support staff regarding access laws and naloxone policy as well as the policies of the community. 39, company in naloxone distribution, "said Evoy.

Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, director of screening, brief interventions, and referral to treatment at Northwell Health in New Hyde Park, NY, said the public also needed to be informed about naloxone.

"We need to encourage the education of the community, schools and hospitals in order to dispel any apprehensions that may be felt by going directly to a pharmacy to get naloxone," Kapoor said. who did not participate in the studies.