Narcon pen (Evzio) is an auto injector formula for naloxone, which is meant to enhance the functioning of an antigen that rapidly reverses drug overdose. It is user-friendly and is available in the form of syringe injections. A prescription for the drug can be obtained by any concerned parties, and more especially the family members of someone who is at risk of drug overdose. Clear instruction of the use of the devise is given by verbal instructions of automatic defibrillators within both public and private medical facilities. Heroin and other opiates often lead to drug overdose hence those with addiction to the mentioned substances or to any other, are advised to get the prescription. Repeat doses of naloxone are needed in such cases since the opoids often have a long term effect on the body as compared to the naloxone. In this paper, a critic for Naloxone treatment in opioid addiction in form of an argumentative article is discussed.
In the United States, more than 40,000 people die due to drug overdose, both intentional and accidental. Most of the accidental deaths are as a result of overdose of opoids that include prescribed pain killers and illegal drugs like heroine. Narcon pen has been availed to many parts of the country through several medical programs that are intent on saving lives. However, the goal of these medical programs still remains the reduction of drug addiction and prescription of medication for opoid abusers. Naloxone is neither meant to encourage drug abuse nor the use of opoids. Narcon pen provision helps in reducing accidental overdose deaths. It is safe to use and saves the cost of medication.
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There are argumentative articles that have been written on naloxone. One of these articles is the one on Naloxone treatment in opioid addiction . The article tends to point out some shortcomings on the use of naloxone. The article states that naloxone is costly and not affordable by many people. However, many people in the United State find the price of the drug to be fair. Furthermore, the antigen is available over the counter, and many medical programs have put in efforts to make it possible for people from middle and lower classes to be able to access the drug. The price is not high compared a case where one would have had to be taken to the hospital for medication of drug overdose, were naloxone not available. The article states exaggeratedly high prices of the antigen and states that Evizo is likely to be expensive as well. The government has put in place only a few legal regulations for the use of naloxone, which has ensured the drug penetrates the market at fair prices (Brust, 2004).
The article argues that people can easily get a prescription from medical providers. This is controversial in that doctors often find it difficult to give a prescription on the use of naloxone to their patients. Reason being, some patients will tend to misuse drugs keeping in mind that they will get descriptive antidotes from the doctors. They take advantage of any preventive frameworks in place and end up abusing drugs, suffering a higher risk of overdose. Its a major challenge for a medic therefore to administer the drug under prescription. Patients who try to persuade doctors to write them a prescription of naloxone, often only do so in futility. Doctors believe that giving prescriptions of for naloxone drug will encourage people to increase their use of drugs. Providing the naloxone drug over the counter has saved medics from suffering from judgmental dilemma within their profession. A visit to the doctor is, therefore, not be a guarantee to access naxolone drug ( Kintz & Marquet, 2002).
According to the article, naloxone is neither easier nor safe to use. Further, it says that naloxone is not simple to administer into the body and says that, naloxone should not be provided in places easily accessible by people like over the counter. The drug should not be available over the counter since some other emergency medications such as glucagon for treating low blood sugar levels are not also provided over the counter. Naloxone can bring dangerous effects if not administered easily just like glucagon and epinephrine (van Dorp, Yassen & Dahan, 2007). However, the use of naxolone is easy compared to the use glucagon which often requires a standard mixture of glucagon and liquid. For the case of naloxone, it only requires a single injection into the patients muscle, which is more often than not quick. The drug is easy to administer even in stressful situations such as in the case of an overdose. A person can clearly work out the instructions of the drug before administering it (Lynn, 2007).
The article articulates that the access of naloxone is not restricted to over the counter situations. The article states that the use of naloxone should be made widely available. Expansion of the drugs accessibility would increase its effectiveness among the affected people since they will no longer have to go to the counter to access it. Health facilities, community projects and other institutions have helped in distributing this antidote to the most afflicted drug addicts. Its users and the medical providers who prescribe the drug, are often protected from any liability that may arise. The advocacy for overdose prevention in many states has led to the use of lots of resources including capital in expansion of available access to the drug. Many states have channeled a number of programs through various projects towards distributing naloxone drug to places where drug overdose cases are more pronounced (van Dorp, Yassen & Dahan, 2007). However, some states have laws that govern the provision of naloxone that is to be offered over the counter. These states do not allow distribution of the drug to other places besides being available at the counter. The states feel that life is important and as a way of protecting lives, they have programs that restore the health status of people affected with overdose through medication. Some states argue that increasing the accessibility of the drug without proper description will definitely increase deaths among people. This is because the use of naloxone to reverse overdoses such as painkillers and heroin can be detrimental if the patient does not seek early medical attention as the antidote does not last long like the drugs (Hanson, Venturelli & Fleckenstein, 2009).
The use of naxolone can be very helpful to many people if administered correctly. Patients who are affected by drug overdose can seek medical attention from health facilities and get naloxone prescription from doctors. State laws should be articulated to support the distribution of the drug over wide areas ensuring that there are prescriptions for the antidote to prevent the misuse of the drug. Medical providers also should be protected from liabilities that may rise from giving prescriptions. If the antidote is correctly administered and instructions followed, it would be helpful in preventing increase in mortality rates.
References
Brust, J. C. M. (2004). Neurological aspects of substance abuse . Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier.
Hanson, G., Venturelli, P. J., & Fleckenstein, A. E. (2009). Drugs and society . Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Kintz, P., & Marquet, P. (2002). Buprenorphine Therapy of Opiate Addiction . Totowa, NJ: Humana Press.
Lynn, J. (2007). Palliative Care Policy Center., & Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Improving care for the end of life: A sourcebook for health care managers and clinicians . New York: Oxford University Press.
van Dorp, E. L., Yassen, A., & Dahan, A. (2007). Naloxone treatment in opioid addiction: the risks and benefits. Expert opinion on drug safety , 6 (2), 125-132.
