WOONSOCKET, R.I., Sept. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Health
(NYSE: CVS) announced today that the opioid overdose-reversal
medication naloxone is now available without an individual
prescription at all 53 CVS Pharmacy locations in Kansas, including those located inside Target
stores. CVS Pharmacists will be able to dispense naloxone to
patients without an individual prescription under a new statewide
regulatory protocol.
"Naloxone is a safe and effective antidote to opioid overdoses
and by expanding access to this medication in our pharmacies in
Kansas we can help save lives,"
said Tom Davis, RPh, Vice President
of Pharmacy Professional Services at CVS Pharmacy. "CVS Health is
dedicated to helping the communities we serve address and prevent
prescription drug abuse and we are expanding access to naloxone to
give more people a chance to get the help they need for
recovery."
A number of state officials and elected leaders also weighed in
on the importance of expanded naloxone availability:
"The new Kansas law making
opioid antagonist medications, such as naloxone, available without
a prescription will save lives only with the support of pharmacies
to make the medications available. I applaud CVS for its commitment
to this effort," said Kansas
Attorney General Derek Schmidt.
"This new protocol is an important public safety measure.
Pharmacists may now dispense emergency opioid antagonists to
patients, first responder agencies, school nurses and bystanders
without a prescription under a statewide protocol. A
multi-professional workgroup was instrumental in the development of
this legislation and protocol, which allows CVS Health to make this
announcement today. Thank you to everyone involved for investing
their time and effort to bring this forward," said State Senator
Vicki Schmidt.
"The national opioid epidemic knows no boundaries as it also
claims the lives of our colleagues, neighbors, friends and loved
ones here in Kansas. It was imperative that the Health
Committees of both the House and Senate prioritize legislation
earlier this year to make it possible for pharmacies like CVS to
increase access to naloxone in our state. I am pleased we were able
to work together to accomplish this goal. If we can save one life,
it was more than worth it," said State Representative Dan Hawkins.
Today's naloxone announcement builds on CVS Health's commitment
to helping communities address and prevent prescription drug abuse
by focusing on prevention and safe medication disposal. In
2015, CVS Health launched a community outreach program called
Pharmacists Teach, which brings CVS pharmacists to local schools to
talk to students about the dangers of drug abuse. More than 275,000
students across the U.S. have already taken part in the
program. High school teachers and administrators can learn
more about bringing Pharmacists Teach to their school at
www.CVSHealth.com.
CVS Health has also joined with the Partnership for Drug-Free
Kids to create the Medication Disposal for Safer Communities
Program, which donates disposal units to local police departments,
providing a safe and environmentally friendly way to dispose of
unwanted medication. Law enforcement officials in
Kansas can apply to receive a drug
collection unit at www.cvs.com/safercommunities.
Additionally, CVS Health has launched digital resources on its
website CVS.com that give patients and families information about
drug abuse prevention.
With the addition of Kansas,
CVS Pharmacy now dispenses naloxone to patients without an
individual prescription in these 43 states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New
Hampshire, New Jersey,
New Mexico, New York, North
Carolina, North Dakota,
Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island, South Carolina,
Kansas, Tennessee, Texas, Utah,
Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West
Virginia and Wisconsin.
About CVS Health
CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on
their path to better health. Through its nearly 9,700 retail
pharmacies, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading
pharmacy benefits manager with nearly 90 million plan members, a
dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one
million patients per year, and expanding specialty pharmacy
services, the Company enables people, businesses and communities to
manage health in more affordable and effective ways. This unique
integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better
health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more
information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at
https://www.cvshealth.com.
Media Contact:
Erin Shields
Britt
Corporate Communications
(401) 770-9237
Erin.Britt@CVSHealth.com
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SOURCE CVS Health