Drug Overdose Prevention
Related Topics
Naloxone Prescribing and Dispensing
Naloxone, also known as Narcan©, is a potentially lifesaving drug that can reverse an opioid overdose. It can be administered as a muscle injection or nasal spray. Any individual looking for naloxone should visit the MN Naloxone Finder for more information.
For health care providers: Any licensed provider who may prescribe medications in Minnesota may also prescribe naloxone.
Previously, pharmacists could enter into a protocol with a Minnesota Licensed Practitioner, a local Community Health Board Medical Consultant, or the Minnesota Department of Health’s Medical Director. These aforementioned protocols are still effective as long as needed but going forward the Minnesota Department of Health encourages pharmacists to establish a naloxone protocol with the Board of Pharmacy. For more information and to review the protocol please visit the Board of Pharmacy Naloxone Prescribing and Dispensing Questions.
Prescribing naloxone
Release of liability
All licensed health care professionals may directly or by standing order, prescribe, dispense, distribute, or administer naloxone to a person without being subject to civil liability or criminal prosecution per 2016 Minnesota Statutes 604A.04 Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention. This immunity is also extended to the Commissioner of Health and Minnesota Department of Health practitioner by section 3.736, subdivision 9.
University of Minnesota Naloxone Resource Site
CME/CPE presentation on identifying risks, signs and symptoms of opioid overdoses and understanding the various naloxone formulations. Health care providers who watch the video are able to earn CME/CPE credit at no cost.
Overdose Prevention
Steve Rummler Hope Network
Training on three types of naloxone administration devices.
- Evzio Auto Injector®
- Intermuscular Injection with Vial and Syringe
- Narcan Nasal ®
Prescribe to Prevent (Video)
Various short-form videos explaining naloxone use for opioid overdose prevention, recognizing the signs of overdose and responding to overdose.
Opioid Overdose Prevention Toolkit
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Equips health care providers, communities and local governments with material to develop practices and policies to help prevent opioid-related overdoses and deaths. Addresses issues for health care providers, first responders, treatment providers, and those recovering from opioid overdose. Updated in 2016.
Q: My pharmacy has three or more locations in Minnesota. Can I do a group registration to enter the Opiate Antagonist Protocol with MDH?
A: Yes. Fill out and share a copy of the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy’s Opiate Antagonist Protocol (PDF) with any other locations.
Q:I previously had an Opiate Antagonist Protocol with MDH. Does the protocol expire?
A: There is no expiration date for that protocol. If you need additional sites added or removed to your protocol, please use the Minnesota Board of Pharmacy’s Opiate Antagonist Protocol (PDF) and use that going forward.
Q: Are there naloxone reporting requirements to the prescription monitoring program (PMP)?
A: Naloxone is exempted from DEA scheduling and is a legend drug. In Minnesota, a legend drug is a drug that is required by federal law to be dispensed only pursuant to the prescription of a licensed practitioner. Minn. Stat. § 151.01-17. No PMP reporting is required as it is not a controlled substance.
Q: Who pays for the naloxone prescriptions?
A: It will depend on the patient. Some patients may have insurance that covers the dispensing of naloxone, others may not. For those who do not have insurance coverage, they may need to pay themselves. The cost of naloxone also depends on the type of naloxone being prescribed (injection or nasal spray).
If a person is unable to get naloxone at a pharmacy, there are other ways to get naloxone free or at lower cost. The following community-based organizations provide free training and naloxone kits at no charge:
- Steve Rummler HOPE Network.
- Rural AIDS Action Network (RAAN)—Call 320-257-3036.
- Indigenous Peoples Task Force - Call 612-870-1723
- LSS StreetWorks Collaborative—Call 612-354-3345 or e-mail street.works@lssmn.org.
Q: Can the naloxone prescriptions have refills?
A: Prescriptions for legend drugs may have refills if the provider indicates so within the valid prescription. Since naloxone may also be ‘prescribed’ by a pharmacist with a collaborative agreement working under protocol with a physician or other provider, then refills would be entirely dependent on what the current, enacted protocol indicated. The Opiate Antagonist Protocol under Dr. Lynfield does not specify refills, therefore each encounter would need to be a new protocol prescription based on the pharmacy enacted protocol rather than a refill.
Q: How will a prescriber of record be notified when a pharmacist issues a prescription for naloxone? Is there a protocol for how the pharmacists prescribes the naloxone to the patient?
A: The protocol provides directions for pharmacists (see Opiate Antagonist Protocol, section 2 “Procedure”). Pharmacists are obligated to ensure patients understand how and when to use naloxone, and are encouraged to participate in trainings listed in the protocol. Additionally, pharmacists should be well aware that naloxone is not a self-administered drug, so naloxone recipients must be well educated on when and how to administer naloxone.