Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can reverse an overdose that is caused by an opioid drug (i.e. prescription pain medication or heroin). Naloxone may be obtained at a pharmacy using the statewide standing order signed by Physician General Dr. Denise Johnson. Naloxone may be covered by insurance and consumers are encouraged to check with their insurers to understand their insurance coverage for naloxone. Individuals covered by Medicaid can obtain naloxone without a copay. A video demonstrating how to administer nasal spray naloxone may be found here.

More information about how naloxone works as a medication and frequently asked questions about obtaining and using naloxone may be found on the Department of Health’s Naloxone webpage.

*This is a comprehensive listing of all pharmacies registered with the Department of State in Pennsylvania and does not guarantee that the pharmacy listed will have naloxone in stock.

The Naloxone for First Responders Program (NFRP) began in November 2017 with the goal of increasing the accessibility and availability of life-saving medication for individuals at the greatest risk of opioid overdose as well as the systems most likely to interact with people who use drugs. The program is managed by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) and is supported by partnerships with the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) and the Department of Health (DOH). Naloxone kits are provided to a wide range of priority first responder groups at no-cost to counties through local Centralized Coordinating Entities (CCEs). The map below shows the number of naloxone kits provided to counties through their CCEs since the program’s launch in 2017. More information on this program can be found here.

This data show doses of naloxone administrations by emergency medical services (EMS) providers at the scene of an emergency by county.  The data are derived from patient care reports completed by certified EMS providers.  They are filtered on the National EMS Information System (NEMSIS) field, Provider Primary Impression equaling “Overdose/Poisoning/Ingestion” in which naloxone or naloxone hydrochloride was administered to a patient. The record is further filtered by the county where the overdose occurred. These data are aggregate and do not represent a single dose given to a single patient.  Additionally, the data do not depict patient outcome, nor that the patient receiving naloxone was truly experiencing an opioid overdose.

The map to the right shows cumulative doses of naloxone administered by EMS since January 1, 2018 by county where the emergency took place. Use the filter option on the map to view specific time periods. More information is available on monthly trends for the commonwealth.

Pennsylvania’s Get Help Now hotline launched in November 2016. To date, trained hotline staff have fielded close to 70,000 confidential calls from individuals concerned about their own or a loved one’s drug or alcohol use, and facilitated more than 38,500 connections directly to treatment providers. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can accommodate 240 languages. Anyone can access the hotline by calling 1-800-662-HELP (4357), or by texting 717-216-0905.

View calls per county.

Naloxone is a covered outpatient drug in the Medical Assistance Program. Anyone on Medicaid has unrestricted access to life-saving naloxone, with no limits and no copayments. Naloxone can be prescribed by the beneficiary’s provider or is available under a statewide standing order for the general public, making naloxone available for immediate action to reverse an overdose of an opioid drug. The standing order can be used by any resident of the Commonwealth, and allows for the option to obtain naloxone by mail.