BC has declared a public health emergency in response to the massive increase in overdose deaths seen in BC in the past two years. Opioid drugs such as fentanyl are the deadly cause of this spike.
Naloxone is an injectable medication that can save loved ones from dying of a drug overdose. Naloxone reverses the effects of an overdose from opioid drugs.
On June 1, First Nations Health Benefits added naloxone as an open benefit to its drug benefit list, which means that naloxone does not require a prescription from a doctor or nurse practitioner.
What does this mean to you?
To obtain naloxone from a pharmacy, you now have two choices and both are covered by First Nations Health Benefits. You can:
• Speak with your pharmacist. If naloxone is right for you then the pharmacist will provide
you with it.
• Alternately you can visit your doctor and ask for a prescription and have the prescription filled at the pharmacy (like before)
Naloxone is available at:
• Harm reduction service locations (First Nations and provincial)
• Pharmacies
Naloxone is a drug covered by First Nations Health Benefits.
Read the fact sheets to learn more:
Nalaxone Information for Community Members (PDF 107 KB)
Nalaxone Information for Health Professionals (PDF 119 KB)
Nalaxone Information for Pharmacists (PDF 111 KB)
