National Sheriffs’ Association and Purdue Pharma Announce Additional Funding for Life-Saving Opioid Overdose Initiative
Second phase of partnership to fund $500,000 of naloxone training and resources
ALEXANDRIA, Va. and STAMFORD, Conn., June 26, 2017 /3BL Media/ - Today the National Sheriffs1 Association (NSA) and pharmaceutical manufacturer Purdue Pharma L.P. announced the second round of its partnership to fund naloxone overdose kits and training for front-line officers. Naloxone is a “rescue drug” that can reverse an overdose from some opioids, including heroin. This new round permits the NSA to offer more of these naloxone kits and training free of charge to law enforcement agencies across the country, building on the pilot program launched in 2015. The second phase brings the total funding of the program to $850,000 since its inception.
“Partnering with the private sector is a crucial step in combatting deaths from opioid overdose, and we are grateful to be able to continue our successful partnership with Purdue Pharma through their funding of an additional $500,000 toward this life-saving initiative,” said NSA Executive Director Jonathan Thompson. “Since the launch of our pilot program in December 2015 more than 120 lives have been saved.”
As part of the pilot phase of the initiative, NSA officers distributed 500 naloxone kits to 12 local law enforcement agencies in Florida, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia. The program has also allowed NSA to reach more than 600 deputies and officers through onsite training at nine law enforcement agencies in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky.1
“Purdue remains committed to combatting opioid abuse and equipping our communities with the tools and resources they need to do so,” said Gail Cawkwell, Chief Medical Officer of Purdue Pharma. “We are motivated by the results we’ve seen since the launch of the pilot program and are proud to continue our partnership with NSA.”
“Law enforcement officers know firsthand the impact that the right tools can have in saving lives within our communities,” said Sheriff Keith Cain, NSA Board Member and Chair of NSA’s Drug Enforcement Committee. “NSA has identified naloxone as one of the most effective weapons in our arsenal for combatting opioid overdose, and we are continuing our work to train law enforcement and implement effective solutions on a national scale.”
According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, “Quickly responding to an opioid overdose with the lifesaving reversal drug naloxone is critical. Expanding access to naloxone for first responders and individuals likely to witness an overdose and training health care providers to prescribe naloxone to at-risk patients are essential actions to reverse the epidemic.”2
ABOUT THE NATIONAL SHERIFFS’ ASSOCIATION
The National Sheriffs’ Association is one of the largest associations of law enforcement professionals in the United States, representing more than 3,000 elected sheriffs across the nation, and a total membership of more than 20,000. NSA is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising the level of professionalism among sheriffs, their deputies, and others in the field of criminal justice and public safety. Throughout its seventy-six year history, NSA has served as an information clearinghouse for sheriffs, deputies, chiefs of police, other law enforcement professionals, state governments and the federal government.
ABOUT PURDUE PHARMA L.P.
Purdue Pharma L.P. is a privately-held pharmaceutical company headquartered in Stamford, Conn. Purdue Pharma is part of a network of independent associated companies dedicated to providing patients and providers with innovative medicines. The company’s leadership and employees are committed to serving healthcare professionals, patients and caregivers quality products and educational resources that make a positive impact on healthcare — and on lives. For more information, please visit www.purduepharma.com.
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Media Inquiries:
Purdue Pharma L.P.
Robert Josephson
203-588-7114
robert.josephson@pharma.com
National Sheriffs’ Association
Pat Royal
703-836-7827
patrickroyal@sheriffs.org
REFERENCES
1 “May 2017 REPORT – Law Enforcement and Purdue Pharma: Saving Lives,” The National Sheriffs’ Association, May 2017, http://www.sheriffs.org/sites/default/files/Narcan%20Report%20FINAL.pdf
2 “The Opioid Epidemic: By the Numbers,” The United States Department of Health and Human Services, June 2016, https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/Factsheet-opioids-061516.pdf
