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Alberta naloxone kits may not contain life-saving anti-opioid overdose drug

Jan 19, 2018 | 8:47 AM

EDMONTON – The Alberta government is urging people who have naloxone kits to check them to ensure that they actually contain the drug that is used to prevent deadly opioid overdoses.

Alberta Health Services says some of the kits that have been distributed to clinics and pharmacies across the province are missing the vials of naloxone.

The agency says it depends on a third-party contractor to distribute naloxone kits and it is working with the company to find out how many are affected.

Alberta Health Services says naloxone can temporarily reverse an overdose of dangerous substances such as fentanyl.

The naloxone program is a key part of Alberta’s plan to reduce the growing number of drug overdose deaths.

The province released a report in late November that said 482 people died in Alberta last year from opioid-related overdoses a 40 per cent increase from 2016.