Opioid overdose deaths have been increasing in the United States, up to more than 107,000 deaths in 2022, and this trend includes young people. In youth ages 14-18 years, opioid overdose rates more than doubled from 2019 to 2021.
International Overdose Awareness Day is a worldwide campaign held each Aug. 31 that acknowledges the grief of family and friends left behind from those who have died from a drug overdose. This year’s campaign theme “Together we can” highlights the power of the community standing together to help end overdose.
In support of President Biden’s Unity Agenda efforts to beat the overdose epidemic, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the General Services Administration (GSA) recently announced new guidance recommending that all federal facilities across the nation include overdose reversal medications in their safety stations on site. The recommendation will make life-saving medications like naloxone more readily available in case of an emergency situation.
On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved RiVive, 3 milligram (mg) naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for over-the-counter (OTC), nonprescription use for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Narcan, 4 milligram (mg) naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for over-the-counter (OTC), nonprescription, use – the first naloxone product approved for use without a prescription.
