Alberta says life-saving fentanyl antidote available without prescription

“Too many lives have been cut short by fentanyl, and too many families have lost loved ones,” she said. “We know naloxone saves lives, so our strategy from the outset has been to make it more accessible. Our hope is that removing the prescription requirement will encourage more people to access these potentially life-saving kits.”

The changes will also allow friends and family members of those at risk to receive the kits as well.

Rick Hackman, President of the Alberta College of Pharmacists, said the change shows the importance of pharmacists in the health of the community.

“Pharmacists play an integral role in the delivery of care to Albertans,” he said. “These regulatory changes enhance community-based access to naloxone – a fundamental move that will impact those individuals and families who need help, and mitigate the escalation of deaths that have been observed in our province.”

The province is also expanding funding for the Opioid Dependency Treatment Plan by $3-million.

Over 2,000 naloxone kits have been distributed in Alberta since 2015. The supply of naloxone kits in the province has tripled to 9,000 since December.

by Aaron Haugen (@ahaugie on Twitter)

Alberta says life-saving fentanyl antidote available without prescription

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