SF Pharmacies Would possibly Need to Carry Drug Overdose Reversal Meds

San Francisco Supervisor Matt Dorsey launched laws Tuesday that will require each retail pharmacy within the metropolis to hold treatment used to quickly reverse overdoses of medicine like fentanyl.

In an announcement, Dorsey acknowledged {that a} majority of San Francisco pharmacies already inventory naloxone, however he asserted {that a} metropolis requirement would “maximize its availability and assist save lives.”

The town and nation proceed to undergo a rare toll from fentanyl, with the U.S. logging a file 108,000 overdose fatalities—primarily from fentanyl—in 2021. In San Francisco, about 620 died from drug overdoses final 12 months and town is on tempo to set a file for lethal overdoses this present 12 months. These numbers would doubtless be far greater with out the widespread availability of naloxone, a drugs generally known as Narcan, which might reverse an overdose.

Almost 60% of all drug overdose deaths in San Francisco and 4 neighboring counties concerned fentanyl final 12 months, new knowledge present. And whereas San Francisco has the very best per capita deadly overdose fee, 57% of the area’s 1,510 overdose deaths occurred exterior town.

Metropolis leaders and regional regulation enforcement businesses have just lately taken steps to disrupt open-air drug markets and supply providers to individuals with substance-use issues who’re prepared to simply accept them.

The supervisor famous that, regardless of U.S. Meals and Drug Administration approval in March for over-the-counter sale of naloxone and not using a prescription, random “secret shopper” surveys discovered some pharmacies in need of the drug. One survey carried out by the San Francisco Division of Public Well being discovered about 20% of native retail pharmacies didn’t have it in inventory.

Metropolis laws would require pharmacies in San Francisco to inventory two packing containers, with a three-day grace interval for reorders, in addition to penalties of $250 to $1,000 per violation.

Dorsey credited town’s Division of Public Well being and Metropolis Legal professional David Chiu for his or her assist with introducing the laws, and he known as the ordinance “a blueprint” for different cities and states to equally increase entry.

Two distinguished retail pharmacy shops weighed in with help Tuesday.

“At Safeway, we already inventory naloxone in our pharmacies,” stated Wendy Gutshall, Safeway’s public and authorities affairs director. “We need to give our clients the selection to buy this doubtlessly life-saving drug.”

Perry Han, a regional vp for Walgreens, stated in an announcement that naloxone is on the market in the entire chain’s San Francisco pharmacies. 

“We applaud Supervisor Dorsey for his work to extend entry all through San Francisco,” Han stated.

Final August, town received a decide’s ruling in opposition to Walgreens, the final of a number of defendants in a nationwide tangle of lawsuits involving firms that manufactured and distributed opioids. Walgreens agreed final month to pay San Francisco a $230 million settlement that can be utilized to deal with town’s opioid epidemic.