Pa. health officials encourage pharmacies to stock naloxone
HERSHEY, Pa. (CBS) -- Pennsylvania health officials are making sure pharmacies are prepared to help people suffering from opioid overdoses. They want to make sure everyone has access to naloxone, prescription are not.
Hershey Pharmacy owner Chuck Kray said his nephew has been battling addiction for 20-plus years.
"He's only here because he's used naloxone on multiple occasions," Kray said.
Pennsylvania Physician General Dr. Denise Johnson says everyone has been affected by the opioid epidemic. Johnson spoke at Kray's pharmacy on Monday to raise awareness about how other pharmacies should make sure to have naloxone and how anyone can get it, no questions asked and no prescription required.
"I am encouraging all Pennsylvanians to carry naloxone with you because you might have the opportunity to save the life of someone who is experiencing an opioid overdose," Johnson said.
How do you know if someone is overdosing and might need naloxone?
"Most times it's going to be the breathing issues, they're going to be struggling breathing, diluted pupils are going to be very fixed, they're going to be non-responsive," Kray said.
But those are the signs of when it's time to use it, not when it's time to first get it.
"You want to get that before they get in that situation," Kray said. "You're too late when they get in that situation."
He said most insurance plans will pay for naloxone. If yours doesn't, any Pennsylvanian can get it free by mail.
