Where can I buy a naloxone kit in BC?
community pharmacies
Take-home naloxone kits are available at community pharmacies throughout British Columbia. Pharmacists will provide these kits free-of-charge to people who use opioids or are likely to witness an overdose. Additionally, pharmacists will also provide training in overdose recognition and response.
How do I get free naloxone in BC?
If you are eligible for the Take Home Naloxone program, you can receive a naloxone kit at no cost, as well as overdose prevention and response training, at any program site. Visit the Toward the Heart site locator or call 8-1-1 anytime day or night to find a site near you.
Where can I buy naloxone in Vancouver?
Community pharmacies Anyone may purchase naloxone from community pharmacies across the Fraser Health region. Additionally, some pharmacies provide THN kits and training at no cost through the provincial THN program. Find a participating pharmacy in your area.
How do I get naloxone in Canada?
Take-home naloxone kits are available at most pharmacies. A prescription is not needed. Ask the pharmacist. Some provinces offer free take-home naloxone kits.
What is inside a naloxone kit?
The kit contains two vials of naloxone, ampule splitters, syringes, gloves, alcohol wipes, and a face shield for CPR purposes.
Where do you inject naloxone?
Injecting into the muscle of the upper thigh or upper arm (see below) with a syringe is also a very common way to administer naloxone. Many naloxone kits come with a syringe and a vial (seen in photo below) or a pre-filled cartridge of naloxone. The shot can be administered through clothes.
Is naloxone free in Canada?
Naloxone is available without a prescription in Canada, so anyone can get it at a participating pharmacy. It is available over the counter, just by asking the pharmacist. Naloxone kits are available free of charge to anyone at risk of overdose, as well as to their family and friends.
When did naloxone kits become available in Canada?
The U.S. FDA approved a first naloxone nasal spray product in November 2015 (22). Health Canada approved non-prescription use of naloxone for emergency reversal of opioid overdose in pre-hospital settings in March 2016 (27), and authorized the sale for naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray in Canada on July 5, 2017 (27).
Where can I get a Naloxone kit?
There are two ways to get a naloxone rescue kit from a pharmacy: Obtain a prescription from your healthcare provider and have it filled at your preferred pharmacy. The pharmacy can dispense it and bill your insurance, like they would for any other prescription. Go directly to a pharmacy and request a naloxone kit.
How is naloxone saved my life?
– Unresponsive or unconscious individuals – Not breathing or slow/shallow breaths – Extreme sleepiness with difficulty staying awake, seizures
How can naloxone help save lives?
Naloxone knocks opioids off their receptors all around the body. In the brainstem, naloxone can restore the drive to breathe. And save a life. But even if naloxone is successful, opioids are still floating around, so expert medical care should be sought as soon as possible.
Should you carry naloxone?
Yes. Families with loved ones who have opioid addiction should have naloxone nearby; ask their family member to carry it; and let friends know where it is. People should still call 911 immediately in the event of an overdose.