Pubdate: Mon, 27 Feb 2017
Source: Sentinel Review (CN ON)
Copyright: 2017 Woodstock Sentinel Review
Contact: http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/letters
Website: http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2385
Author: John Tapley
Page: A3

LIFE-SAVING DRUG COMES TO OXFORD

Higher-dosage, easier-to-use Naxolone kits, which cane help prevent
opioid overdoses, are now available through Oxford County public health

Higher-dosage and easier-to-use Naloxone kits will soon be available
free of charge to anyone in Oxford County to help prevent opioid
overdose deaths.

"We're just finishing up our policies to be able to dispense it, so
we're really close," said Lisa Gillespie, a nurse with Oxford County
public health. "We should be able to dispense it within the next few
weeks."

Oxford County public health has been dispensing Naloxone - a drug that
counteracts the effects of opioids by blocking receptors in the brain
- - since 2014.

The original kits included two 0.4-milligram doses of Naloxone in
glass ampules that were administered through intramuscular injection
using a one-inch needle.

The new kits contain two four-milligram doses that are delivered with
prepared intra-nasal devices.

Gillespie said opioids are the number one "drug of choice" in Oxford
and that overdose is among the risks of opioid use.

"We are in a crisis situation with opioid addiction and we need a
comprehensive strategy to deal with it," she said. "Naloxone is just
one example of a harm reduction approach, it's not the only answer."

With that in mind, Oxford was the fifth public health unit in the
province to implement a Naloxone program.

"We were very proactive in Oxford because we knew we had an opioid
issue," Gillespie said.

Oxford County public health has dispensed 62 kits so far and refilled
some of them.

Gillespie said seven people have used kits to reverse an overdose and
save lives.

"There's likely (been) more than that, but we don't always hear
back."

Oxycontin was previously the most popular opioid used in Oxford, but
hydromorphone is now number one, she said.

While the local health unit hasn't encountered a lot of Fentanyl
opioid use so far, Gillespie said it is receiving anecdotal reports
that "it's here."

Of particular concern is so-called "bootleg Fentanyl" that is not
pharma produced and is 100 times more potent than the prescription
variety.

"One little (piece the size of a) grain of salt can be too much and
cause an overdose," said Gillespie. "(Oxford County public health) and
the Ministry of Health are taking this very seriously."

While they don't yet have access to the new kits, pharmacies have been
able to dispense intramuscular Naloxone kits since July 2016 along
with methadone and suboxone, substances used to treat opioid addiction.

Gillespie said there are four pharmacies in Woodstock, two
in

Ingersoll and one in Tillsonburg involved so far and the health unit
is continuing to reach out to others. The kits are also available at
the public health building at 410 Buller St. in Woodstock.

"All pharmacies in Ontario, people all over Ontario, have access to
Naloxone free of charge over the counter without a prescription," said
Gillespie, explaining that includes family members and friends of
opioid users. "We want Naloxone in the hands of as many people as
possible to reduce the chances of an overdose death."

Nancy Kyrolls, pharmacist at Ingersoll Medical Pharmacy, said she has
distributed 19 of the 20 Naloxone kits she received from the Ministry
of Health in the past three months and is looking into acquiring more.

An opioid overdose can cause depression of the central nervous system
and respiratory arrest leading to death. By blocking opioids from
getting to the receptors in the brain, Naloxone can reverse those effects.

Naloxone only works if there are opioids present in the body,
otherwise it has no effect.

It isn't a silver bullet when someone overdoses, because the effect of
the Naloxone only lasts for 30 to 90 minutes, so the person still
needs to get to a hospital for further treatment.

"We always stress the importance of calling 9-1-1 (when someone
overdoses)," Gillespie said. "(Naloxone) basically buys them time to
get them to the hospital."

Because Naloxone causes immediate withdrawal, there is a risk that
someone who overdoses and doesn't go to hospital for treatment could
end up using more opioids and go right back to overdosing, Gillespie
said.

"Withdrawal) is the last thing a person with an opioid addiction wants
because it makes them very sick."

All Oxford paramedics are trained to administer Naloxone, Gillespie
said, and police and fire services may not be far behind.

Learning to use a Naloxone kit takes less than an hour.

Gillespie said when someone comes in for training they are taught some
basics, including how to prevent an overdose from happening in the
first place and what an overdose looks like.

People are also provided with information about addiction services and
the Woodstock and Area Community Health Centre.

Then there is some hands on training including tips on how to perform
CPR and rescue breathing leading up to how to administer the Naloxone.

When it comes to legal implications of Naloxone use, Gillespie said
the Good Samaritan Law should apply. She said health officials are
looking for some changes to protect people who administer Naloxone to
someone else when they may be using or in possession of opioids themselves.

"It's a life-and-death situation, so if you have the training you're
probably going to use the kit if you know the person has an opioid on
board. We're hoping to see changes to the Good Samaritan Law that, if
someone is acting in the best interest of a person and calls 9-1-1,
they won't be charged with simple possession."

Besides dispensing Naloxone, the public health unit operates a needle
exchange for drug users and Gillespie said that is accessed about
2,200 times each year.

She said it's part of the strategy to address opioid use in the county
along with talking about it and getting people to "realize it's a
medical concern, not a moral one."

"I think it's great this issue is finally getting the attention it
deserves because I think we've known for quite a while that we have an
opioid addiction problem."

Anyone interested in getting a Naloxone kit can call Oxford County
public health at 1-800-755-0394 ext. 3490.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt