Legislation designed to curb the number
of drug overdose deaths in West
Virginia
The bill (HB 2009) increases the
availability of the the drug naloxone, an opioid antagonist that reverses the
effects of narcotics. The bill would allow first responders to possess and
administer naloxone while also setting guidelines for doctors to prescribe the
drug.
The vote was unanimous.
Dr. Rahul Gupta, commissioner of
the state Bureau of Public Health, spoke to the committee in favor of the bill:
“First responders get to the site
and see that somebody is perhaps overdosed, and they are able to administer
this drug immediately and buy time for that person to get to the appropriate
healthcare facility.”
Officials claim West Virginia
Gupta said the expanded use of naloxone will “help save lives
when overdoses do occur.”
