Naloxone is a drug that can reverse the effects of opioid drugs like heroin, methadone, opium, codeine, morphine and buprenorphine, and is an important aid in preventing drug-related deaths.

Overdose deaths are often witnessed and can be prevented by the people who are most likely to come into contact with someone using substances carrying naloxone kits.

This article explores 5 needs in the relation to take-home naloxone:

1. the need for strong science;
2. our improved understanding of opioid overdose and deaths;
3. the search for greater impact from our policies and interventions;
4. devel...

One of the most serious public health concerns in recent decades has been the opioid epidemic in the United States (US). Over 9.9 million Americans aged 12 and up abused prescription pain drugs in 2018, and roughly 2 million Americans were diagnosed with opioid use disorder. In 2019, 49,860 drug overdose deaths (70.6 percent of all drug overdose deaths) were caused by opioid use and abuse. The opioid crisis has a huge influence on healthcare expenses and expenditures, in addition to the appalling toll on morbidity and death.

Previous studies on the expenses and expenditures of healthcare...

Overdose is the leading cause of avoidable death among people who inject drugs. 

The ‘Stop Overdose Safely’ is a joint initiative from UNODC and the World Health Organization (WHO) to address opioid overdose and provide life-saving medications to those in need. The initiative serves as a platform for exchange and mutual support to effectively prevent and manage overdose.

The S-O-S initiative supports people likely to witness an overdose in the community, with a focus on people who use drugs, their peers, as well as family members.

The initiative sets a global implementation target of...

Worldwide, about 500 000 deaths are attributable to drug use. More than 70% of these deaths are related to opioids, with more than 30% of those deaths caused by overdose. 

This information page, put together by the World Health Organisation, provides key facts on opioid overdose.

The page includes:

• Overview of opioids
• Information on opioid overdose
• Risk factors for opioid overdose
• Emergency responses to opioid overdose
• Prevention of opioid overdose
• WHO response and recommendations