Resource Category
Articles and Publications

Estimating naloxone need in the USA across fentanyl, heroin, and prescription opioid epidemics: a modelling study

Posted 3/3/2022 (updated 3/26/2024)

The US overdose crisis is driven by fentanyl, heroin, and prescription opioids. One evidence-based policy response has been to broaden naloxone distribution, but how much naloxone a community would need to reduce the incidence of fatal overdose is unclear. We aimed to estimate state-level US naloxone need in 2017 across three main naloxone access points (community-based programs, provider prescription, and pharmacy-initiated distribution) and by dominant opioid epidemic type (fentanyl, heroin, and prescription opioid).