Naloxone, the controversial drug used to reverse a heroin overdose, will officially be distributed to every high school in the United States. Thanks to a partnership between the Clinton Foundation and Adapt Pharma, the drug – which is also known as Narcan – will be provided free of charge.
The announcement was made yesterday during the Clinton Foundation Health Matters Summit, and will act as part of the foundation’s Health Matters Initiative. The move isn’t exactly surprising; Adapt previously provided first responders a discounted price for naloxone in nasal spray form, and their latest move reinforces their beliefs of the drug’s imperative availability.
The company will also give the National Association of School Nurses a grant in order to aid their education on overdose efforts.
While the move was a positive one, the drug maintains a controversial reputation. Others have argued that providing people with the option to reverse an overdose simultaneously reenforces their initial drug addiction. However, others – like President Barack Obama and HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell – agree that Naloxone is a necessary step to beat heroin-related deaths and overall addiction.
Personally, I think it’s a good move. I’ve seen too many young people waste away from an addiction they couldn’t help, and then die before they had the chance to fix their habit.
What do you think? Sound off in the comments below.
[H/T: Refinery29]
