The Gloucester sheriff’s office announces deployment of EVZIO® (naloxone HCl injection) auto-injectors to help in the fight against opioid overdose deaths.
Gloucester, Va. – The Gloucester sheriff’s office today announced that they have received a donation of EVZIO® naloxone auto-injectors from kaléo, the Richmond, Virginia-based pharmaceutical company.
EVZIO is an FDA-approved naloxone product specifically indicated for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose as manifested by respiratory and/or central nervous system depression and is intended for immediate administration as emergency therapy in settings where opioids may be present, including outside of supervised medical settings. Nearly 29,000 Americans died in 2014 year from prescription opioid overdose and unintended drug poisoning has surpassed automobile collisions as the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S., driven largely by prescription opioids. Opioid overdose can cause a person’s breathing to severely slow down and even stop.
The Gloucester County sheriff’s office has already had a successful save using this drug. Deputy Jim DeBaun received training on the use of this drug on July 19th 2017, and one day later while working, he was dispatched to the scene of an unresponsive male. Upon arrival it was determined that the subject had overdosed and was administered two injections of naloxone. This subject later recovered at the emergency room. EVZIO is a pre-filled, single-use, hand-held auto-injector that works by temporarily blocking the effect of an opioid, potentially reversing the life-threatening respiratory depression and allowing the recipient to breathe more regularly. Each EVZIO device uses voice and visual cues to assist in guiding the user through the process and delivers a single 0.4 mg dose of naloxone. EVZIO is not a substitute for emergency medical care. “We are pleased to be making this donation as a part of our commitment to widen access to naloxone,” said T. Spencer Williamson, CEO of kaléo. “We are honored to support the outstanding efforts of the first responder community to help save the lives of those who are experiencing an opioid overdose.” EVZIO first became available in the United States by prescription in July 2014.