Launch of Australia’s First Overdose Management Program that provides naloxone on prescription to potential overdose victims

Building on international evidence and being an Australian first, an opioid overdose management program that provides naloxone on prescription to potential opioid overdose victims will be implemented in the ACT. Naloxone is a schedule 4 opioid antagonist medication used to reverse the effects of opioid class drugs such as heroin, morphine and oxycodone.

ACT Chief Minister & Minister for Health Ms Katy Gallagher launched the program on Friday 16 December at the ACT Legislative Assembly.  Additional speakers included Professor Paul Dietze, Burnet Institute, and Ms Nicole Wiggins, Canberra Alliance for Harm Minimisation and Advocacy.

This important public health program has been developed by the ACT alcohol, tobacco and other drug sector. This initiative has been driven by the Canberra Alliance for Harm Minimisation and Advocacy (CAHMA) and the multidisciplinary Expanding Naloxone Availability in the ACT (ENAACT) Committee.

About the program

The training will be conducted for opioid users and other potential overdose witnesses over a two-year year period with 200 participants. Eligible participants who successfully complete the training will be prescribed naloxone by a General Practitioner upon reaching a level of competence and assessment.

Topics addressed in the training program will include recognising opioid ovedose; risk factors for opioid overdose and responding to opioid overdose (including resuscitation techniques, calling for an ambulance and administration of naloxone).

An independent evaluation of the program will assess the implementation of the program and participants’ experiences of the program. It will contribute significantly to new knowledge about the implementation of expanded naloxone availability in the ACT context and across Australia.

This program will be rolled out in the ACT beginning in early 2012.  For further information see:

• ACT Overdose Management Program Description, the Expanding Naloxone Availability in the ACT Question and Answer (Q&A) document, further background and research evidence at www.atoda.org.au/policy/naloxone/

Media

There was and continues to be ACT and national media coverage including headline news items on the ABC, television coverage and the front page of Saturday 17 December 2011 Canberra Times.  For a summary of media coverage see the media section at www.atoda.org.au/policy/naloxone/

See also the launch’s Media Brief http://www.atoda.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Australias-First-Overdose-Naloxone-Program-Media-Brief-151211.pdf