Opioid and narcotic abuse is rampant, and overdoses killed over 16,500 people in 2010 and the numbers are rising. The death toll is about one person every 30 minutes. The awareness of the problem has been rising with the deaths of prominent celebrities, but the problem strikes at all levels of society and all ages.

The FDA recently approved a new treatment for narcotic/opioid overdose called the Evzio auto-injector. The new medication is Evzio, a form of naloxone, which has been available for medical use since 1971. The drug reverses the opioids’s effectiveness and prevents the drug from binding to its normal receptors on a short-term basis. Opioids at too high of a dose cause people to have impaired ability to breathe, and this difficulty breathing is the major cause of death from an overdose. Naloxone can only be given by injection into a vein for best results, therefore it has been difficult for anyone but trained medical personnel to administer. Programs have been established in some areas to authorize some first responders to give the medications. This has saved over 200 lives in Philadelphia in one year.

Evzio’s Effectiveness

Evzio won FDA approval in record time, most likely due to its need and safety. The medication is in an auto-injector; all one has to do is press the unit against the leg and trigger the mechanism. The set dose will help most overdose victims. The initial unit comes with a training sample injector that has voice prompts to walk a person through the correct use. The dose of naloxone delivered by Evzio will likely reverse breathing problems for 1-3 hours, enough time to obtain full medical support and treatment.

There are many people at risk for accidental overdose. Many people using opioids for chronic pain also have anxiety and may be receiving benzodiazepines that potentiate drug effects and poor breathing. Combining sleep medications, alcohol and other drugs can have a similar effect with opioids. The ability to have the new Evzio auto-injector available to reduce the chance of an accidental overdose is wonderful.

The biggest challenge ahead is to have laws that allow easy access for family, friends and first responders to obtain and use this new medication. Currently the status is a bit unclear. Every state regulates these medications differently, and there is an urgent need to save lives versus argue about the morality of the issues. Hopefully, the availability and use will become common in the near future and lives will be saved.