• Barbara Moran

    Barbara Moran, Senior Science Writer

    Barbara Moran is a science writer in Brookline, Mass. Profile

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There are 14 comments on The Addiction Puzzle, Part 1: An Overdose Lifeline

  1. By the way – whatever happened to “Brigitte’s” son, long-term? Did he get addiction treatment? Were there any life effects (loss of college enrollment, no longer with significant other, etc)? Has he been drug-free for a period?

  2. I really enjoyed this article it was informative and I’m very interested in finding out if my public health department has this product on hand we have been over wrought in heroin overdoes in our city i work at a treatment facility so i see the effects of heroin every day keep up the good work BU and all who participate if it saves just one life it is worth it.
    Kendall O’Sullivan RRW

    1. Kendall,
      If you want to start or support or connect with an overdose education and naloxone rescue kit program here are some weblinks that include program locators and implementation guides:

      prescribetoprevent.org/research-other-resources/
      naloxoneinfo.org

  3. Where does some one start to get this program started in their community??? I lost my son,Erik, 5 yrs ago to an overdose and have been active in our community by speaking and other activities. I would love to help bring this project to the public and educate the public on overdose prevention

    1. Carol,
      I am sorry to hear about your son and inspired that you are reaching out to help others. In addition to the program/implementations links above, here are some links to programs that support loved ones of people who have died from substance use:

      grasphelp.org
      learn2cope.org

  4. So glad to have found this article. There too many overdoses due to drugs and it’s important to talk about it. I honestly didn’t realize there was an antidote. Thanks for sharing this info. I will save it to share, as well!

    1. This is not true? While the NSAIDS are increasing the absorption through thinning the blood, the opiods binding to the mu-opiod receptors in the brain and lungs (as well as other parts of the body) are causing respiratory arrest and causing the overdose effects. This is why Narcan works, it works on active competition for binding sites with high affinity for the opiod receptors, restarting the breathing, (Which is why it didn’t work after one dosage because fentanyl is nasty stuff and it would require a lot of Narcan to fight into enough sites). Narcan doesn’t work on the NSAID sites at all.

      On a different note, for those here looking for help. The field is making great strides in producing drugs like Suboxone, which has the opiod in it, but also has narcan in it, which causes a rightward shift in the dosage needed to overdose on the drug (also to get high). They are also currently working on pills that cannot be crushed (like hammers cannot crack them) keeping people from snorting them, and keeping the drug admin to per-orally which is the best method for an addict to prevent overdose because the overall concentration in the blood stream at any one time is lower while the overall duration lasts longer (why people drink methadone and not shoot it up).

  5. Thanks for this wonderful article! I work in an inpatient treatment facility which offers training and Naloxone kits to all of its patients and staff. Although I haven’t seen any data proving it, I’m sure that having more people on the streets of NYC prepared for treating an overdose has to save lives! I hope that this training will be expanded to include interested members of the community as well.

  6. Excellent article – naloxone is to opioid over dose what an epi pen is to life threatening allergic reaction. It saves lives and everyone at risk for opioid overdose and people who are in their social network like the mothers in learn to cope and who helped save her sons life needs access.

  7. You reference “15 states that now have naloxone distribution programs,” where can one find out which states are implementing similar programs? I work in a VA treatment program for Veterans who are struggling with homelessness and addiction. We offer a lot of education on opioid overdose, but this is so much more proactive and preventative, and I am so glad that it empowers families to be knowledgeable and act if their loved one is ever at risk of overdose. Thank you for the work you are doing!

    1. It is also not surprising with the veteran part of this comment. No disrespect to our armed services but 12% of active members abuse opiod drugs as it helps cope and the government used to give it out like candy in Vietnam to help the soldiers in those hell-like conditions.

  8. Did you use design thinking to create the program? It seems like something that would come out of that process, and you had a solid goal and root cause.

    I do habit loop and behavioral design but I work in business so I’m familiar with these concepts around addiction – great series. Please keep publishing your research and results!

    -BU Alum ’98

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