State, local leaders expand efforts to treat opioid overdoses

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy hosts a community forum on the opioid epidemic in Knox County, Tenn., state and local leaders today announced an expansion of efforts to facilitate public agencies’ access to potentially lifesaving opioid withdrawal medication.

The National Association of Counties, National Governors Association, National League of Cities and United States Conference of Mayors, with the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance and Premier, Inc., have reached an agreement with Adapt Pharma to offer Narcan® Nasal Spray at a 40-percent discount, or $37.50 per dose ($75 for a 2 pack carton).i

Narcan Nasal Spray, is the only FDA-approved, ready-to-use nasal spray version of naloxone hydrochloride, a life-saving medication that can stop or reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

“The Administration has made it a top priority to expand access to the overdose reversal drug naloxone and medication-assisted treatment because we have lost too many of our family members and friends to the opioid epidemic,” said White House National Drug Policy Control Director Michael Botticelli. “This public-private partnership to secure discounts for state and local agencies can help ensure that these life-saving medications are available wherever they are needed.”

“Governors are at the forefront of the fight against opioid abuse,” said National Governors Association (NGA) Chair Utah Governor Gary Herbert. “At the last NGA Summer Meeting, governors convened to discuss the opioid epidemic. There we discussed that to turn the tide, there must be a coordinated response across all levels of government, which this purchasing effort helps to achieve.”

“Medication-assisted opioid treatment can mean the difference between life and death,” said National Association of Counties President Sallie Clark, commissioner, El Paso County, Colo. “We see the devastating effects of prescription drug abuse and heroin use because counties are at the intersection of the local health, justice and public safety systems. We welcome this public-private partnership to support our response to this national crisis.”

As part of its Safe and Secure Counties Initiative, NACo is working with state associations of counties to develop policy recommendations and promote promising practices to address the opioid epidemic plaguing communities.

“American cities are facing an epidemic of opioid addiction. Providing affordable access to drugs like Narcan Nasal Spray is critical to saving lives in the event of an opioid overdose,” said Clarence Anthony, CEO and executive director of the National League of Cities. “This public-private partnership is a vital step in stemming the opioid addiction epidemic in our communities.”

“Mayors across this nation are grappling with solutions to address the exponential rise in opioid overdoses occurring in our cities. We believe the expanded availability of this treatment is another tool for mayors and cities to use in their efforts to stem this epidemic,” stated U.S. Conference of Mayors CEO & Executive Director Tom Cochran.

Announced at the organization's Fall Leadership Meeting, Conference of Mayors President Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake created a special mayors’ task force on substance abuse, prevention and recovery services, which will be headed by Boston Mayor Martin Walsh.

In October 2015, the U.S. Communities Purchasing Alliance, which pools the purchasing power of more than 62,000 agencies in state and local government and the non-profit sector, made available naloxone and medications containing buprenorphine. This latest announcement expands the offering to include Narcan.

For more information including Narcan Nasal Spray prescribing information, safety information, photos and videos click here.

i Subject to terms and conditions including minimum order.