WOONSOCKET, R.I., April 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Health
(NYSE: CVS) announced today it has made the opioid overdose
reversal medication naloxone available without a prescription at
all CVS Pharmacy locations in New
Hampshire. CVS Health has established a standing order with
physicians in New Hampshire that
allows CVS Pharmacy to expand access to the medication in the
Granite State.
"Naloxone is a safe and effective antidote to opioid overdoses
and by expanding access to this medication in our New Hampshire pharmacies by the use of a
physician's standing order for patients without a prescription, we
can help save lives," said Tom
Davis, RPh, Vice President of Pharmacy Professional
Practices at CVS Pharmacy. "We support expanding naloxone
availability to give more people a chance to get the help they need
for recovery and we applaud the State of
New Hampshire for its leadership in the fight against drug
abuse and addiction."
"The opioid epidemic has touched so many families in
New Hampshire and across the U.S.
and expanding access to naloxone is one important step in our
efforts to address it," said Marcia Lee
Taylor, President and CEO of the Partnership for Drug-Free
Kids. "We applaud CVS Health for increasing access to this
life-saving drug for patients without a prescription at CVS
Pharmacy locations in New
Hampshire and in many other states across the
country."
CVS Health has also launched digital resources on
www.cvs.com/content/prescription-drug-abuse giving patients and
families a single destination to learn more about drug abuse
prevention. These new resources build on CVS Health's longstanding
commitment to helping communities address and prevent drug
abuse. In 2015, CVS Health launched a community outreach
program called Pharmacists Teach, which brings local pharmacists to
high school health classes to talk to students about the dangers of
drug abuse. More than 60,000 students have already taken part in
the program. High school teachers and administrators in
New Hampshire can learn more about
bringing Pharmacists Teach to their school at
www.CVSHealth.com.
CVS Health has also joined with the Partnership for Drug-Free
Kids to create the Medication Disposal for Safer Communities
Program, which donates disposal units to local police departments,
providing a safe and environmentally friendly way to dispose of
unwanted medication. The program has already donated twelve units
to police departments in the state and collected more than 1,665
pounds of unwanted medications in New Hampshire. Law
enforcement officials across New
Hampshire can apply to receive a drug collection unit at
www.cvs.com/safercommunities.
In addition to New Hampshire,
CVS Pharmacy locations in 22 other states can now dispense naloxone
to patients without an individual prescription.
About CVS Health
CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on
their path to better health. Through its approximately 9,600 retail
pharmacies, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading
pharmacy benefits manager with more than 75 million plan members, a
dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one
million patients per year, and expanding specialty pharmacy
services, the Company enables people, businesses and communities to
manage health in more affordable and effective ways. This unique
integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better
health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more
information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at
https://www.cvshealth.com.
Media Contact:
Erin Shields Britt
Corporate Communications
(401) 770-9237
Erin.Britt@CVSHealth.com
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SOURCE CVS Health