VT pharmacies to issue naloxone prescription-free

In a few days, users of naloxone — known by its brand Narcan — will no longer need a prescription to purchase the potentially life-saving drug that can reverse an opioid overdose.

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2016-08-30 / Front Page VT pharmacies to issue naloxone prescription-free By TORY JONES BONENFANT toryb@eagletimes.com Two boxes of the potentially life-saving drug Naloxone. A standing order has been issued by Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin and Health Commissioner Dr. Harry Chen allowing pharmacies across the state to sell the drug without a prescription. — TORY JONES BONENFANT Two boxes of the potentially life-saving drug Naloxone. A standing order has been issued by Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin and Health Commissioner Dr. Harry Chen allowing pharmacies across the state to sell the drug without a prescription. — TORY JONES BONENFANT SPRINGFIELD — In a few days, users of naloxone — known by its brand Narcan — will no longer need a prescription to purchase the potentially life-saving drug that can reverse an opioid overdose. The health commissioner for Vermont has signed a standing order to allow all pharmacies in the state to sell naloxone without a prescription, effective Sept. 1, according to an Aug. 25 press release issued by the office of Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin. In the face of a recent spate of heroin overdoses and growing fears that, in addition to fentanyl-laced heroin, a more dangerous version of the drug called carfentanil is poised to move into the state, Shumlin and Health Commissioner Dr. Harry Chen announced that the Vermont Department of Health (VDOH) issued the “standing order” for the opioid overdose rescue drug naloxone for all of Vermont, according to the press release. This allows any pharmacy to dispense the drug to anyone, without requiring a prescription, all according to the governor’s office. The standing order is designed to ensure people who are addicted to opioid drugs have easy access to naloxone hydrochloride (brand name Narcan) in case of an overdose, and that their friends and family also have access. The order also allows insurers and Medicaid to cover the cost, according to the governor’s office. "Clearly the aim of making naloxone more widely available is to prevent deaths," said Chen. "This is risk reduction for people who are using. At the same time, we're working on all fronts to help those who are addicted to get into treatment, to stay in recovery, and to prevent addiction in the first place." Naloxone is a prescription drug that can reverse the effects of prescription opioid and heroin overdose, and “can be life-saving if administered in time,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Local pharmacies along the Vermont border are preparing to begin dispensing naloxone with no prescription beginning next Thursday. In Springfield, pharmacist Jill Talbot with the Springfield Pharmacy said on Monday, Aug. 29 that she was aware of the impending change in the law, but that she did not know yet if it would lead to any changes in demand for the drug. “We are certainly prepared. We have it in stock, if families or caregivers come in,” Talbot said. Talbot said that at this time, the pharmacy does not have a high demand for naloxone, but could not predict whether that would change. “It’ll be interesting to see,” she said. Steve Hochberg, owner of Springfield Pharmacy and also of River Street Pharmacy, was unavailable for comment on Monday. In Windsor, a pharmacist at Rite-Aid who provided only a first name, Chris, said that in general, before the change in the law, customers would have needed a “protocol doctor” before a prescription could be issued for naloxone. He referred any further questions to a Rite-Aid Corp. senior public relations staffer, who did not return a call by Monday afternoon. In Bellows Falls, the owner of Greater Falls Pharmacy and Scrapbook Nook preferred not to comment, according to store manager Michelle Laurendeau. Walgreens stores in Vermont will also offer naloxone without a prescription in September, according to the press release. The store has also installed a safe medication disposal kiosk in its South Burlington store that allows individuals to safely dispose of unwanted medication year-round at no cost, he said. Chen said the daily average number of patients receiving naloxone by emergency medical services has gone up from 1.2 last year to 1.8 this year, but since June 1, that number is up to 2.2 patients per day. Law enforcement reports that heroin investigations are up 70 percent over the same time last year, according to the governor’s office. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is about 50 times more powerful than heroin, and is sometimes added to heroin. In central Vermont, law enforcement officials have responded to nine overdoses – one fatal – linked to fentanyl-laced heroin during one weekend earlier this month, all according to the press release. The VDOH has received reports that naloxone has been used at least 241 times in 2016 through June 30 for people perceived to be overdosed on heroin, fentanyl, prescription painkillers or a combination. For that same time period, a total of 44 deaths from these drugs have been confirmed by the Health Department, all according to the governor’s office. The Health Department is also establishing statewide an unused prescription drug disposal program to provide for the safe disposal of Vermont residents’ unused and unwanted prescription drugs. In the near future, every corner of the state will have a safe drop-off point and access to drug take-back mailers, according to the press release. The department is also in the process of enacting regulations on opioid prescriptions. The regulations will ensure that doctors who treat for pain assess alternatives to opioids and, when opioids are prescribed, that they are prescribed in the smallest effective doses for the shortest period of time, according to the governor’s office. The Vermont Prescription Monitoring System is currently sharing data on controlled substances prescribed to Vermont residents with health officials in New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut, and the Health Department expects New Hampshire data to be available this fall. Early last week, Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, law enforcement officials and the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the award of $1.4 million to hire and train five new detectives to join the Vermont Drug Task Force, a statewide unit that works with local and federal agencies to combat drug trafficking. The number of task force members increased from 19 to 24, all according to the governor’s office.