WOONSOCKET, R.I., April 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Health
(NYSE: CVS) said today that the company will further expand its
ongoing efforts to educate patients about, and increase access to,
the opioid overdose-reversal drug naloxone consistent with the
Surgeon General's Advisory on Naloxone and Opioid Overdose, issued
by Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome M.
Adams today.
"Each day we lose 115 Americans to an opioid overdose – that's
one person every 12.5 minutes," said Surgeon General Adams. "It is
time to make sure more people have access to this lifesaving
medication, because 77 percent of opioid overdose deaths occur
outside of a medical setting and more than half occur at home."
Over the coming months, CVS Pharmacy will expand patient
education and awareness efforts about the importance of naloxone,
particularly for at-risk individuals, consistent with the Surgeon
General's Advisory. The company also announced that CVS
Pharmacy will accept and automatically apply a coupon for Narcan
nasal spray for patients without insurance. The resulting out
of pocket cost of $94.99 is the
lowest net price available on the market for patients without
insurance. Narcan nasal spray is the only FDA approved nasal
administration of naloxone.
"CVS Health is dedicated to preventing and addressing opioid
abuse in the communities we serve," said Thomas G. Davis,
R.Ph., Vice President, Professional Services, CVS Pharmacy.
"We are proud to support the Advisory issued by Surgeon General
Adams by enhancing our ongoing efforts to educate patients about
the life-saving importance of naloxone. We are also pleased
to work with Adapt Pharmaceuticals to provide a coupon for Narcan
nasal spray to CVS Pharmacy patients without insurance and we
appreciate their partnership."
The expansion of efforts to educate patients about naloxone
builds on the industry-leading work CVS Health announced last fall
to address and prevent opioid abuse, including expanding access to
safe medication disposal and limiting acute opioid prescriptions to
a seven day supply.
CVS Health has long worked to expand community access to
naloxone by establishing a standing order or similar protocol at
CVS Pharmacy locations in 46 states. This protocol allows
patients to obtain naloxone at the pharmacy counter without having
to first obtain an individual prescription from a physician.
As part of the expansion of patient education efforts being
announced today, the company will enhance signage to educate
patients about naloxone at the pharmacy counter and through CVS
Pharmacy in-store radio. CVS pharmacists will also enhance
counseling for patients, particularly for patients with higher
doses of prescription opioids, about the availability and
importance of naloxone.
CVS Health has also established a community outreach program
called Pharmacists Teach, through which CVS pharmacists speak to
students and parents at schools in their local area about the
dangers of abusing prescription drugs. Already, more than
350,000 students have participated in the
program.
About CVS Health
CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on
their path to better health. Through its more than 9,800 retail
locations, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading
pharmacy benefits manager with more than 94 million plan members, a
dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one
million patients per year, expanding specialty pharmacy services,
and a leading stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan,
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