The drug naloxone has become a major part to prevent death by overdosing on opioids, and the Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission has teamed up with IRMC to make the drug more widely available.
(AICDAC and IRMC Officials stand by the new Naloxone and Fentanyl Test Strip Vending Machine outside the Bork Emergency Center at IRMC. Photo provided by IRMC)
The two entities announced today that AICDAC has purchased a Naloxone vending machine and it will be located at the entrance of the Bork Emergency Center on IRMC’s campus. The vending machine, manufactured by A&M equipment, is programmed to dispense the naloxone kits free of charge to those who need them. Each kit contains two doses of naloxone, instructions, and information on how to access treatment for a substance abuse disorder. The machine will also be stocked with a supply of fentanyl test strips. These test strips were at one point illegal, but thanks to legislation from State Representative Jim Struzzi, these are no longer considered an item of drug paraphernalia, and are seen by many experts as a way to prevent overdoses.
In the joint announcement, IRMC Chief Medical Officer Richard Neff said that the hospital is committed to reducing the number of overdose deaths with community partners like the AICDAC, The Open Door and others.
Comments