American Society of Addiction

Medicine Revises Naloxone Policy

Rebound Brooklyn Medical is a New York City psychiatric practice owned
and operated by Scott Bienenfeld, M.D., a physician who is board certified
in Addiction Medicine as well as General and Forensic Psychiatry. The staff
members at Rebound Brooklyn Medical are also trained to administer an
emergency medication called Naloxone, which counteracts opiate
overdose.

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) recently announced
that it revised its Public Policy Statement on the Use of Naloxone for the
Prevention of Drug Overdose Deaths. Under the new revision, ASAM
recommends that all addiction treatment programs have Naloxone on site
for emergency situations. The updated statement notes that increased
availability of the opioid antagonist can help prevent unnecessary,
overdose-related deaths. According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), 78% of the overdose deaths in 2010 were unintentional,
and those involving opioids could have been prevented by administering
treatments like Naloxone.

ASAMs revision was prompted by increasing awareness and debate
surrounding the opioid overdose epidemic and the use of Naloxone as a
prevention treatment. Earlier in 2014, the National Governors Association
and the U.S. Attorney General also announced support for the widespread
availability and administration of Naloxone.