Overdose

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) updated Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit provides guidance to a wide range of individuals on preventing and responding to an overdose. It emphasizes harm reduction and access to treatment as essential aspects of overdose prevention.

The FDA announced that the manufacturer of NARCAN 4 mg Nasal Spray products, Emergent BioSolutions, has extended the shelf-life of their product from 3 years to 4 years. This new extension of shelf-life was requested by the FDA to help prevent overdoses and reduce overdose-related deaths.

The Opioid-Overdose Reduction Continuum of Care Approach is a guide for policymakers for implementing evidence-based strategies that address opioid overdose.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health has reported that overdose mortality more than tripled for pregnant and postpartum women from 2018 to 2021. Findings from the study referenced by NIDA show that there are significant barriers which can obstruct care for this population living with substance use disorders.

The 2023 RCORP-Overdose Response Onboarding Packet contains strategies and resources to assist grantees in the implementation of your new Overdose Response (OR) grant. The Onboarding Packet includes tools to support grant-funded activities, along with information on accessing TA.

The National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) provided interactive graphic reports on the trends in overdose deaths using the latest data. The interactive infographic shows the effects combined drugs, such as fentanyl and xylazine, have on overdoses.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Center for the Clinical Trials Network (CCTN) held an event where health care professionals and federal partners discussed xylazine-related testing, treatment, and wound care. As the White House has deemed fentanyl adulterated with xylazine an emerging threat, it is important to identify and adapt to the rapidly changing practices of patient care.

At the end of July 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a second over-the-counter naloxone nasal spray product, RiVive. The agency who received the approval to manufacture the product, Harm Reduction Therapeutics, does not yet have a timeline of availability and decision on pricing. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released data showing a significant increase – 276 percent in 21 jurisdictions from 2019 to 2022 – in overdose deaths involving Xylazine, a nonopioid sedative that’s been detected in illicitly manufactured fentanyl drug products. 

The Buncombe Bridge to Care (BB2C): Post-Overdose Buprenorphine Field Initiation Program Toolkit was developed by Buncombe County Emergency Services Community Paramedicine and UNC Health Sciences at Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC). This toolkit describes the project and protocols utilized. It is not intended to be a comprehensive guide or manual, but instead to inspire communities to increase access to lifesaving medication for the marginalized community of people who use drugs.