Making Naloxone Available for Fentanyl Overdoses w/ Sarah Helm: July 27, 2022

New Zealand is ‘grossly underprepared’ if we were to find ourselves facing a fentanyl crisis as life-saving overdose reversal medication continues to be out of reach.

Naloxone is one of the best tools available to treat opioid overdoses, and is available in New Zealand in two forms: via a nasal spray, or in an injectable form. However, only the nasal spray is available over the counter, and is $92 for a pack of two. 

Experts say opioid overdoses already claim at least 40 lives a year in this country, and there is a risk Aotearoa could face an opioid crisis like the ones being experienced in North America and Europe if adulterated drugs continue to circulate in the New Zealand drug market.

Emilia Sullivan spoke to Sarah Helm, Chief Executive of the NZ Drug Foundation.