Northhampton News

Gov. Tom Wolf announced an expansion to standing orders that allows Pennsylvania residents to have naloxone in an effort to fight the opioid epidemic.

The expansion includes a non-prefilled syringe with two vials that contain a single dose of liquid naloxone to inject, a recent press release from the governor’s office said. The standing order is available online and can be brought to a local pharmacy to get the naloxone, which can save lives in the event of an opioid overdose.

“With this expansion of naloxone availability, each of us has the opportunity to be a first responder to a fellow Pennsylvanian amid the ongoing opioid crisis,” Wolf said in the release. “When an overdose is reversed thanks to naloxone, and someone’s life is saved, we are giving them another chance at life. This tool is free for Pennsylvanians, and it works. With it, we can help survivors down the road to recovery and treatment.”

Naloxone is an approved medication by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that is designed to quickly reverse an opioid overdose. This is done through restoring a person’s breathing if it has slowed or stopped due to an overdose. It can be administered by people with or without medical training and has been proven to reduce overdose deaths.

“I encourage all Pennsylvanians to get naloxone and keep it on-hand because an overdose can happen anytime, anywhere,” Jen Smith, Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs secretary, said in the release. “This latest expansion of the naloxone standing order underscores the continued need to make this life-saving drug as accessible as possible and reinforces the Wolf Administration’s dedication to combating the overdose crisis.” 

The standing orders allow residents and first responders to go to a pharmacy to get naloxone. It is also available for free through a statewide mail-based naloxone program that is a partnership with Prevention Point Pittsburgh and NEXT Distro. Additionally, there are resources available through the Department of Health for education about naloxone. 

The standing order is through Acting Secretary of Health and Pennsylvania Physician General Dr. Denise Johnson. She noted that she carries naloxone with her because she knows it can save a life.

“I want to make it as easy as possible for every adult to have naloxone handy,” Johnson said in the release. “With this expansion of the standing orders, all four forms of naloxone are now available, including the most cost-effective form in two single-dose vials and a non-prefilled syringe.”   

Updated naloxone training videos and resources—which now include updated overdose statistics and information about administering the medication—are available through Train PA.