Emergent BioSolutions Releases New Survey Findings Underscoring the Need to Continue Expanding Access & Increasing Awareness to Naloxone
- Nearly 9 in 10 Americans surveyed agree opioid overdoses are a concern for teenagers and college students; parents in the survey want life-saving treatment to be easily accessible in case of an emergency
Conducted by Bryter Global on behalf of Emergent, the survey revealed significant support among Americans – and specifically among parents – for measures aimed at enhancing opioid education and access to lifesaving interventions within school settings. This was the case even though the majority of those surveyed greatly underestimated the number of overdose deaths caused by opioids each year (the median response was 10,000 lives, when in reality, the
Key Survey Findings1
Approximately 90 percent of total respondents/adults (18+), including parents surveyed agree:
- The number of opioid deaths is unacceptable, and they would help save someone from an opioid overdose, given the opportunity
- It’s important for NARCAN® Nasal Spray to be available and accessible to buy over-the-counter (OTC) without the need for a prescription
- Opioid overdose is a concern for teenagers and college students
- It’s important for all schools, public libraries and dormitories to have NARCAN® Nasal Spray available in case of an opioid overdose emergency
- It is important for parents, teachers, coaches and others who spend time with teenagers and college kids in a professional capacity to have access to NARCAN® Nasal Spray
- First aid kits should be equipped with this life-saving treatment
The concern among parents is significant, with 87 percent of survey participants agreeing that the opioid epidemic in America is getting worse. Parents believe a more robust national conversation could be part of the solution. Nearly 9-in-10 parents surveyed believe normalizing the topic of opioid overdose and reversal treatments like naloxone could help save lives.
“Americans, particularly parents, realize that protecting and saving the lives of our youth from an opioid overdose is a moral imperative and a fundamental responsibility of our society,” said
The Opioid Crisis Among America’s Youth is Increasing - There is an Urgent Need to do More
A NEJM study reported that twenty-two high school age adolescents died each week in 2022 from an accidental overdose driven by fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills.
In a joint letter to educators last year aimed at combatting the rising opioid epidemic among adolescents, the
And equally critical, is data from
Emergent Efforts to Build Awareness, Education of NARCAN® Nasal Spray
NARCAN® Nasal Spray received the first ever OTC
Emergent is working to ensure that NARCAN® Nasal Spray is readily accessible in critical settings like schools, colleges, and sporting events, where the risk of opioid overdose is heightened.
In
Across college campuses in 2023, and heading into 2024, Emergent is helping to raise awareness of the signs of an opioid overdose, offer NARCAN® Nasal Spray resources, and provide educational Ready to Rescue kits for attendees.
About NARCAN® Nasal Spray
NARCAN® Naloxone HCl Nasal Spray 4 mg is the first FDA-approved, over-the-counter (OTC) 4 mg naloxone product for the emergency treatment of opioid overdose. NARCAN® Nasal Spray is not a substitute for emergency medical care. Repeat dosing may be necessary. Use as directed.
About Emergent BioSolutions
At Emergent, our mission is to protect and enhance life. For 25 years, we’ve been at work defending people from things we hope will never happen—so we are prepared just in case they ever do. We provide solutions for complex and urgent public health threats through a portfolio of vaccines and therapeutics that we develop and manufacture for governments and consumers. We also offer a range of integrated contract development and manufacturing services for pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers. To learn more about how we plan to protect or enhance 1 billion lives by 2030, visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
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Investor Contact:
Executive Vice President, CFO
lindahlr@ebsi.com
Media Contact:
Assal Hellmer
Vice President, Communications
mediarelations@ebsi.com
Source: Emergent BioSolutions