Fentanyl and naloxone: Independent pharmacists want bigger role

Independent pharmacists say they can play a larger role in the distribution of life-saving naloxone and educating people who need it most. 

Karen Francis owns Compounding Wellness Pharmacy in Mount Pearl and is also on the board of the Council of Independent Community Pharmacy Owners (CICPO).

She would like to see free naloxone kits available in pharmacies province-wide.

"Pharmacies should be providing this service and pharmacists are more than qualified to dispense, consult with patients and do the injection training," she told CBC News Friday.

Naloxone is an antidote to fentanyl, morphine, heroin, methadone and oxycodone. It reverses the effects of an overdose and has been used to save lives across the country. 

"First responders and the availability of those naloxone kits have actually saved 14 lives in two weeks," Health Minister John Haggie told reporters Wednesday. 

While the free kits are available through 74 distribution sites, you can't get them at all pharmacies.

Currently, Francis and some other Newfoundland and Labrador pharmacists have commercial naloxone kits in stores but they retail for about $60 each. 

That's unlike Ontario where, according to Progressive Conservative health critic Steve Kent , pharmacies are eligible to dispense the emergency kits free-of-charge to patients, and then submit claims to be reimbursed.

Not consulted

Francis said she sees people everyday who would benefit from education on the deadly consequences of opioids.

"Our group believes that pharmacies should have been invited to participate in the rollout of the naloxone kits."

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She said it's not just drug addicts who should have greater access to these kits, but also patients who rely on opioids to control pain.

Francis said on the prevention side, pharmacists are able to identify who is at risk.

Street outreach

The topic of fentanyl and it's deadly grip — two people in the St. John's area have died of overdoses over the last three weeks — was front and centre on Water Street in St. John's Friday. 

"If this isn't a screaming beacon that something is awry, I don't know what is," said Christopher Smith, the local site co-ordinator for the Canadian Community Epidemiology Network, which tracks drug use and type information.

"And ... there's no public health authorities on the street, generating discussion, talking to people."

Smith and others brought information sheets to the busy downtown area, to answer questions and educate people.

"This wave is cresting and if and when it crashes, another two dozen bodies are going to wash up and before that happens, I could not live with myself if I didn't do something," he said.

While he applauds the government's efforts, Smith agrees with the independent pharmacists that the more naloxone kits available, the better.

Meanwhile, the health department says a working group will meet next week to talk about the naloxone take home kit.

Representatives from the Pharmacists Association of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Pharmacy Board have joined and the department said independent pharmacists are welcome also.