Development and Implementation of an Opioid Overdose Prevention and Response Program in Toronto, Ontario

Emergency physicians’ attitudes and perceived barriers to the implementation of take-home naloxone programs in Canadian emergency departments

“…8,9 Program participants are provided with a naloxone kit containing the program's training protocol, naloxone, and delivery devices. These programs have had success through overdose education and distribution of naloxone kits in several major Canadian cities, [10][11][12] with several community reversals of opioid overdoses reported and no adverse effects. The World Health Organization, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Society of Toxicology have all advanced statements supporting these interventions and calling for wider access to these programs.…”

What is known about community pharmacy supply of naloxone? A scoping review

“…Research is needed to confirm the efficacy of a pharmacy-led brief intervention for naloxone and overdose prevention, given pharmacists are generally not experts training in how to respond to drug overdoses. Numerous studies also advocate the importance of naloxone prescribing within an overall overdose management programme which includes resuscitation training and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), though the feasibility of overall overdose management programs with CPR in community pharmacy programs may be questioned (Dong, et al, 2012;George & Moreira, 2008;Leece, et al, 2013;Piper, et al, 2007).…”

A systematic review of strategies to improve appropriate use of opioids and to reduce opioid use disorder and deaths from prescription opioids

“…57 Ten strategies had a negligible or no impact on overdoses and deaths. 35,41,49,52,68,70,75,76,81,93 Five strategies had a small positive effect, 48,50,53,62,94 two had a moderate positive effect, 55,56 and four had a large positive effect, 60,63,69,82 which included (1) overdose prevention training and naloxone distribution, plus a change in the legal status of naloxone to permit its administration by any member of the public Most promising strategies by content and target audience Figure 5a and 5b show the impact of the strategies by content and target population. It suggests that the most promising strategies to improve appropriate use of opioids are (1) educational strategies aimed at health care professionals; (2) clinical strategies aimed at patients, opioid users, and health care professionals; and (3) collaborations.…”