Shortage of opioid overdose treatment naloxone could trigger thousands of overdose deaths

A shortage of the opioid overdose treatment naloxone—commonly marketed as Narcan—could result in thousands of overdose deaths. 

In April, "Pfizer halted production of its single-dose injectable Naloxone, due to a manufacturing issue. This causes issues as buyers’ organizations distribute this Naloxone to many grassroots harm reduction coalitions across the state," Anna Mudd reports for North Carolina Health News. Experts "estimate the interruption would result in about 1 million fewer doses, which could lead to as many as 18,000 avoidable overdose deaths." Pfizer expects the shortage to continue through February.