Pubdate: Wed, 02 Jan 2013
Source: Orlando Sentinel (FL)
Copyright: 2013 Orlando Sentinel
Contact:  http://www.orlandosentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/325

DRUG FOR OVERDOSE

Distributing a drug that reverses overdoses in heroin users would save
lives and be cost-effective, according to a new analysis.

U.S. researchers, who published their findings in the Annals of
Internal Medicine, calculated that one death may be prevented for
every 164 naloxone injection kits they distribute to heroin users.

That, the researchers say, works out to be a few hundred dollars for
every year of healthy life gained.

"The great news here is these overdose deaths can be prevented, it's
cost-effective to do so, and may even be cost-saving," said Dr.
Phillip Coffin, the study's lead author from the San Francisco
Department of Public Health.

Naloxone is a drug that stops opioids such as heroin from reaching
receptors in the brain, which may reverse an overdose. The drug is
currently only approved by the Food and Drug Administration to be
injected into a person, but there are promising trials for an inhaled
version of it. 
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