PA Wolf Administration Officials Fill Naloxone Prescriptions at York Pharmacy using Standing Order

YORK, Pa., Dec. 5, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania Physician General Dr. Rachel Levine and Secretary of Drug and Alcohol Programs Gary Tennis today filled prescriptions for naloxone, a life-saving opioid overdose reversal drug, at Minnich's Pharmacy in York to demonstrate how anyone can use the standing order signed by Dr. Levine as a prescription to acquire naloxone at any pharmacy in the commonwealth.

"It's important to remember that any Pennsylvanian can walk up to their pharmacy counter and fill a prescription for naloxone," said Dr. Levine. "This life-saving medication is important for everyone to have on hand, especially if you or someone you care about is battling the disease of addiction."

Naloxone rapidly reverses heroin and other opioid overdoses. In 2015, nearly 3,500 Pennsylvanians died from a drug overdose. Heroin and opioid overdose are the leading cause of accidental death in Pennsylvania, killing more individuals each year than motor-vehicle accidents.

"Naloxone can make the difference between someone dying and someone getting into treatment," said Secretary Tennis. "Last year alone, we lost almost 10 people every day to this disease. Our goal is to both save lives and enable our citizens in recovery to live good lives."

The Wolf Administration holds the fight against heroin and prescription opioids as a top priority.

Some of the administration's other initiatives include:

• Partnering with Adapt Pharma to distribute Narcan, a brand of naloxone, to 196 high schools across the commonwealth at no cost to the schools;
• Strengthening the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) so that doctors are required and able to check the system each time they prescribe opioids;
• Better preparing doctors and physicians for prescribing opioids and pain management drugs to improve medical school and continuing education curricula on opioids;
• Limiting the number of opioids a patient can receive at emergency rooms to a seven-day supply with no refills;
• Establishing a voluntary directive to allow patients who do not want to be prescribed opioids the ability to deny or refuse the administration of these drugs.

For more information on the fight against opioid abuse in Pennsylvania, visit the Department of Health website at www.health.pa.gov.

MEDIA CONTACT:April Hutcheson, 717-787-1783

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SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Health