Emergent BioSolutions Demonstrates Commitment to Increasing Access & Awareness of NARCAN® Nasal Spray to Help Combat the Opioid Epidemic
- Ongoing support of the ‘White House Challenge to Save Lives from Overdose' through workplace and public safety measures
- One-year mark of Ready to Rescue public awareness campaign to expand awareness, particularly among young adults and vulnerable communities
- 20,000 additional doses of NARCAN® Nasal Spray to be donated to organizations in need
GAITHERSBURG, Md., Oct. 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE:EBS) remains committed to supporting widespread opioid emergency preparedness by expanding access to NARCAN® Nasal Spray and educating the public on how to respond to an opioid overdose. As opioid overdose fatalities have risen in the workplace in recent years,1 Emergent is working with businesses to prepare for accidental opioid emergencies by ensuring workplaces, facilities, and hospitality venues, among many other locations, should consider being equipped with NARCAN® Nasal Spray. In March 2024, Emergent joined the ‘White House Challenge to Save Lives from Overdose', a nationwide call encouraging leaders to commit to increasing education of and access to life-saving opioid overdose reversal medications.
"Businesses across the country, including many large employers, are taking thoughtful steps to respond to the national opioid epidemic," said Joe Papa, president and chief executive officer of Emergent. "We applaud the White House and all organizations that have stepped up to join the broader effort to combat against opioid overdose deaths, which are occurring far too often."
As part of its commitment to the White House's Challenge, Emergent has installed more than 40 opioid emergency wall units near first aid stations and AEDs in its offices and facilities and provided over 1,300 cartons of NARCAN® Nasal Spray to its employees this year. In line with Emergent's mission to expand access, awareness and availability, it is engaging with partners, including the National Safety Council (NSC*), to educate and reach businesses.
In August 2023, NARCAN® Nasal Spray became available over the counter (OTC) and shortly after, Emergent's national awareness campaign, Ready to Rescue, launched to break down the stigma around opioid use and accidental overdose. Since then, Emergent has handed out more than 2,700 opioid emergency kits containing one carton of NARCAN® Nasal Spray and educational resources across several college campuses and public venues.
In addition, recent preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has pointed to a meaningful decline in opioid overdose deaths in the U.S. for the first time in decades.2 Naloxone, the active ingredient in NARCAN® Nasal Spray, is a life-saving medication that can reverse an overdose from opioids, including heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioid medications, when given in time.
Papa stated, "Today, we are pledging to make an additional donation of 20,000 doses of NARCAN® Nasal Spray to help communities in need. It is promising to see the recent decline in opioid overdose deaths for the first time in years, and while we are pleased to see this progress, now is not the time to lose momentum. Emergent remains committed to playing our part in bringing down the number of opioid-related deaths by continuing to expand access efforts through the OTC availability of NARCAN® Nasal Spray, working closely with our public interest partners and advocates on the frontlines, as well as increasing education through our Ready to Rescue campaign, because we believe even one overdose death is unacceptable."
Opioid emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere and to anyone.3 Increasing access and awareness to opioid overdose reversal treatments like NARCAN® Nasal Spray is a key component among a mix of interventions helping to curb the number of lives lost each year. Continued advocacy for comprehensive strategies that include the provision of NARCAN® Nasal Spray, prevention, treatment and recovery support efforts are essential to sustain and improve upon these reductions in death rates. With more than 80,000 American lives lost each year4 due to an opioid overdose, expanding access to life-saving treatments like NARCAN® Nasal Spray and providing education on how to administer it are essential to helping prepare individuals.
Learn more about how you can access NARCAN® Nasal Spray and be prepared to save a life at NARCAN.com.
*As a contracted commercial partner of Emergent, NSC will receive a fee for service.
About NARCAN® Nasal Spray
NARCAN® Nasal Spray is a pure opioid antagonist indicated for emergency use to reverse known or suspected opioid overdose, as manifested by respiratory and/or severe central nervous system depression.
While NARCAN® Nasal Spray can be administered by a non-health care professional, it is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical care. Always call 911 as soon as an opioid overdose is suspected and before administering NARCAN® Nasal Spray. Always read the label and follow the directions for use.
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.
Safe Harbor Statement
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There are a number of important factors that could cause the company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated by any forward-looking statements. Readers should consider this cautionary statement, as well as the risk factors and other disclosures included in our periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, when evaluating our forward-looking statements.
Investor Contact:
Richard S. Lindahl
Executive Vice President, CFO
[email protected]
Media Contact:
Assal Hellmer
Vice President, Communications
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References:
- U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with state, New York City, District of Columbia, and federal agencies. Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cfoi.pdf. Accessed October 7, 2024.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts. Updated September 11, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm. Accessed September 26, 2024.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Preventing an Opioid Overdose Know the Signs Save a Life. https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/pdf/patients/Preventing-an-Opioid-Overdose-Tip-Card-a.pdf. Accessed September 26, 2024.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. U.S. Overdose Deaths Decrease in 2023, First Time Since 2018. May 15, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2024/20240515.htm. Accessed September 26, 2024.
