Emergent BioSolutions Releases New Survey Findings Underscoring the Need to Continue Expanding Access & Increasing Awareness to Naloxone - Seite 2

“Americans, particularly parents, realize that protecting and saving the lives of our youth from an opioid overdose is a moral imperative and a fundamental responsibility of our society,” said Joe Papa, president and CEO of Emergent. “When facing an opioid overdose minutes matter, and immediate access to life-saving interventions like NARCAN Nasal Spray can mean the difference between life and death. We are committed to continuing our efforts to equip educators, students, parents and communities with the tools, resources, and training they need to combat the opioid epidemic and protect our youth.”

The Opioid Crisis Among America’s Youth is Increasing - There is an Urgent Need to do More

A NEJM study reported that twenty-two high school age adolescents died each week in 2022 from an accidental overdose driven by fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills.

In a joint letter to educators last year aimed at combatting the rising opioid epidemic among adolescents, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the U.S. Department of Education issued a call to action for every school in the United States to carry naloxone.

CDC data found that two-thirds of adolescent drug poisoning deaths occurred with one or more potential bystanders present, but most provided no overdose response. 

And equally critical, is data from Regan Udall that indicates potential bystanders were present but unable to provide life-saving measures such as naloxone in nearly half of fatal overdoses in 2021.

Emergent Efforts to Build Awareness, Education of NARCAN Nasal Spray

NARCAN Nasal Spray received the first ever OTC U.S. FDA approval in March 2023, empowering individuals to take proactive measures in responding to opioid emergencies, with the potential to save countless lives.

Emergent is working to ensure that NARCAN Nasal Spray is readily accessible in critical settings like schools, colleges, and sporting events, where the risk of opioid overdose is heightened.

In October 2023, Emergent launched Ready to Rescue, a national public awareness campaign intended to break down the stigma associated with opioid overdose and educate the public about risks associated with opioids and how to be prepared with NARCAN Nasal Spray. The company is continuing to spread this message and at several college campuses across the U.S.

Across college campuses in 2023, and heading into 2024, Emergent is helping to raise awareness of the signs of an opioid overdose, offer NARCAN Nasal Spray resources, and provide educational Ready to Rescue kits for attendees.