U.S.
agency recommends opioid overdose antidote to high-risk
patients
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[December 20, 2018]
(Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS) on Wednesday recommended prescribing or
co-prescribing the opioid overdose reversal drug, naloxone, to high-risk
patients.
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The agency's recommendation comes a day after an advisory panel to
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) narrowly recommended
prescribing the drug, along with addictive painkillers.
The agency's guidance underscores concerns about the growing opioid
overdose epidemic that claimed more than 49,000 American lives last
year.
"Given the scope of the opioid crisis, it's critically important
that healthcare providers and patients discuss the risks of opioids
and how naloxone should be used in the event of an overdose," Brett
Giroir, assistant secretary for health and senior advisor for opioid
policy at HHS, said
https://www.hhs.gov/opioids
/sites/default/files/2018-12/naloxone-coprescribing-guidance.pdf in
a statement.
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The FDA panel on Tuesday voted 12-11 in favor of labeling changes
for opioids that recommend co-prescribing the overdose antidote,
concluding a two-day discussion on ways to make the potentially
life-saving drug readily available.
Naloxone reverses the effects of opioids, including stopped or
slowed breathing, the HHS said.
(Reporting by Aakash Jagadeesh Babu in Bengaluru; Editing by James
Emmanuel)
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