Consultation on expanding access to naloxone
17 August 2021
Article: 55/3308
Naloxone is a drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, and may help to prevent overdose deaths. A four-nation consultation has been launched to assess the viability of proposals to widen access to naloxone, by expanding the list of services and individuals that can provide the drug without a prescription or other written instruction.
After a change in guidelines in Scotland during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, families of those who use drugs, as well as a wide range of professionals who work in non-drugs services, have been allowed to legally supply take-home naloxone kits to anyone likely to witness an overdose. Normally, naloxone is only legally available across the UK on prescription, or from certain drug treatment services without a prescription.
The consultation is open until 28 September 2021, and responses from individuals or organisations who have experience or expertise in substance use disorders are welcome.