Dedicates funds to help first responders statewide access life-saving drug

In an effort to make the life-saving drug Naloxone more widely available to police and firefighters statewide, Attorney General Maura Healey today announced her office has reached an agreement with Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. that will require the company to pay $325,000 to help offset the costs of the drug that counters the effects of opioid overdose.

The first-of-its kind payment from the manufacturer to a state will go into the Commonwealth’s Municipal Naloxone Bulk Purchase Trust Fund, approved in the state budget this past July to increase access to the nasal spray version of Naloxone through a discounted program. This payment is the equivalent cost of nearly 10,000 units of naloxone. The trust fund was established with initial state funding of $150,000, making available, in total, the equivalent of 15,000 doses.

“The demand for Narcan to help save the lives of overdose victims has risen sharply, and with that, so has the price, making it tough for police and fire departments to access this critical drug,” AG Healey said. “This money will help us get Narcan into the hands of every first responder, giving them a tool they need to help save lives.”

The agreement with California-based Amphastar resolves AG Healey’s concerns over the sharp price increase for Naloxone (generic version of Narcan) in late 2014, when the wholesale price more than doubled from less than $15 per dose to more than $30. Although the purchase price from distributors has varied between municipalities, some first responders report having paid more than $65 for a single unit of the drug.

The AG’s Office sent a letter to Amphastar earlier this year stating that the increase in pricing could adversely affect access to the drug for state agencies and municipalities in Massachusetts.

In March 2014, former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick declared a public health emergency in response to the growing opioid addiction epidemic. The Department of Public Health issued emergency regulatory amendments permitting first responders to carry and administer Naloxone. Since then, numerous first responders have purchased naloxone kits for use in reversing the effects of a heroin or opioid overdose.

Naloxone is a medication that reverses an overdose from heroin or other opioids. It cannot be used to get high and is not addictive. The Naloxone for intra-nasal use is given with a foam tip attached to a syringe that is placed into the nostril. It acts to wake the person up and keep them breathing.

Today’s announcement comes as the world marks International Overdose Awareness Day. In Massachusetts last year, the heroin and opioid epidemic claimed the lives of more than 1,200 people.

This announcement is another way the Attorney General’s Office is working to address the growing addiction crisis in Massachusetts. The AG’s Office is looking at a host of other practices, from marketing by pharmaceutical companies, to dispensing by pharmacies, to pill diversion and drug trafficking by criminal entities, to coverage for substance abuse treatment by insurance companies. The AG’s Office is also working on solutions that include eliminating barriers to treatment, and supporting prevention and education initiatives across the state.

Today’s agreement was handled by Eric Gold of AG Healey’s Health Care Division.