Annals of Internal Medicine tip sheet for 1 Jan. 2013
1. Distributing Naloxone to Heroin Users May be a Cost-effective Way to Reduce Overdose Deaths
Distributing naloxone to heroin users to use to reverse overdose may be a cost-effective strategy to reduce overdose-related mortality. Opioid overdose is a leading cause of accidental death in the United States and accounts for half of the mortality among heroin users. Naloxone is a short-acting opioid antagonist that can reverse opioid overdose. Researchers developed computer models to estimate the cost-effectiveness of distributing naloxone to heroin users for use at witnessed ...
