A bill that expands access to an opiate overdose reversal drug has made it to Gov. Doug Ducey’s desk. The measure passed the house and senate unanimously over the weekend.
Current Arizona law restricts administration of the opiate overdose reversal drug known as naloxone, or Narcan, to just medical technicians or police.
The bill expands that to include anyone in a position to assist. It also gives someone who administers the medication or prescribes it immunity from liability if they’ve acted in good faith.
"What this means is that organizations like mine, sober living homes, and homeless shelters can give out the medication as a prescription without the prescriber needing to be present," said Haley Coles, the executive director of Sonoran Prevention Works, a group involved in drafting the legislation.
Coles said if the governor signs the bill it would allow non-profits like hers to set up programs across the state to make the medication easily accessible.
