CHICAGO, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Broad distribution of the opioid reversal drug naloxone is highly cost-effective in reducing fatal overdoses, according to a study posted on the website of the University of Michigan (UM) on Tuesday.
The researchers examined the cost-effectiveness of increased distribution of naloxone to laypeople likely to witness or experience overdose, police and firefighters, and emergency medical services.
High distribution to all three groups was actually cost-saving when accounting for societal costs, such as productivity losses due to fatal overdose, even when considering increased costs related to the criminal justice and health care systems.
When launching the project in 2016, the researchers were concerned about the rising number of deaths due to opioid overdose. They found, nevertheless, that increasing first-responder distribution is in fact cost-effective.
The research showed that ensuring laypeople have access to naloxone is also an important complement to first-responder distribution.
"Some laypeople who witness an overdose hesitate to call 911, for fear of the consequences. So no matter how many first responders have naloxone, those victims can't benefit from it," said co-author Freida Blostein, a doctoral student at UM's School of Public Health.
Some policymakers have expressed concerns that providing naloxone to people who use opioids could encourage increased use.
"Our findings offer powerful evidence that this concern probably isn't founded," said Tarlise Townsend, a doctoral candidate at UM's School of Public Health and first author of the study. "Even if it did occur, we found that possession of naloxone would have to increase overdose by at least 20% in order for lay distribution to no longer be cost-effective. That's much higher than any evidence suggests."
With overdose deaths occurring at staggering rates, the findings support a concerted effort to increase distribution to laypeople and first responders.
The study has been published in the International Journal of Drug Policy.
