Public health leaders welcome plans to make overdose reversal drug more accessible

Naloxone, a drug used to reverse the effects of opioid overdose, is to be made more accessible across the UK, after the government announced plans to enable more services and individuals to provide take home supplies.1Following a six week consultation earlier this year, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said that over the course of this year it will introduce legislation changes enabling healthcare professionals (nurses, midwives, pharmacists, and paramedics), prison and police staff, and probation officers to supply naloxone without a prescription.Additionally, it will establish a new registration service to enable professionals and organisations not named in the legislation to supply naloxone. This could include those working in housing and homelessness settings.DHSC said, “Responses to this consultation demonstrated overwhelming support for allowing more organisations and individuals to supply take home naloxone. There is consensus that widening access to naloxone will save lives.”It added that all changes will…
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