Naloxone is a prescription medication designed to reverse opioid overdoses. As such, the setting and logistics surrounding naloxone use has changed in response to the emerging epidemic of prescription drug misuse. Recent reports indicate community-based naloxone distribution programs remain beneficial, and new efforts have shifted toward outpatient prescribing to those using opioids, their caregivers, or their family members. In an effort to inform efforts to expand naloxone access, a recent study investigated naloxone prescribing trends. Using national data from IMS Health’s National Prescription Audit, this study calculated naloxone prescriptions dispensed by U.S. retail pharmacies between June 2010 – July 2015. Prescriptions were sorted into one of three groups: 1) Evzio, a naloxone autoinjecter for use in community settings (approved 2014); 2) the naloxone injectable form adapted for use as an intranasal spray (off-label use); and, 3) other naloxone formulations. Between 2010-2013, US retail pharmacies dispensed a low yet stable number of naloxone prescriptions (241-463 prescriptions/quarter). However, naloxone dispensing increased 1170% from the fourth quarter in 2013 to the second quarter in 2015 (4,291 prescriptions dispensed during second quarter of 2015). In addition, primary care physicians accounted for prescribing 35.1% of the prescriptions, while individuals aged 40-59 years old accounted for receiving 42.7% of the dispensed prescriptions.
Take Away: The authors suggest findings indicate outpatient naloxone prescribing nicely complements community-based naloxone distribution programs. In addition, they suggest future studies to address the barriers to naloxone prescription, as well as examine the relationship between increased naloxone prescribing and mortality.