Emergent BioSolutions Underscores Continued Support of Increasing Naloxone Awareness Through Public Education Campaign on International Overdose Awareness Day
- Pro Football Hall of Famer and Ready to Rescue campaign spokesperson, Emmitt Smith, and Release Recovery Founder/CEO, Zac Clark, plan to visit several U.S. college campuses to educate on opioid emergency preparedness
- New sponsorship of Mobilize Recovery's "Campus Surge" initiative brings addiction prevention and recovery support to higher education institutions
GAITHERSBURG, Md., Aug. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In honor of International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) on August 31, Emergent BioSolutions (NYSE:EBS) is re-launching its Ready to Rescue public education campaign, which raises awareness of opioid emergencies and the importance of being prepared with NARCAN® Nasal Spray among young adults at college/university activations with Greek Life, wellness services and athletic departments. Together, Pro Football Hall of Famer and campaign spokesperson, Emmitt Smith, and Release Recovery founder and CEO, Zac Clark will lead inspiring conversations to break down the stigma around accidental opioid poisonings and empower students to be ready to save a life with over-the-counter NARCAN® Nasal Spray.
Despite encouraging data showing a decline in overdose deaths in 2024,i the dangers of the opioid crisis remain ever present. A recent report from Mental Health America analyzing publicly available national data shows that progress in reducing overdose deaths is not uniform across the country, with some states differing significantly on prevention strategies and overdose reduction. The report provides a comprehensive ranking of opioid overdose responses across every state, analyzing four systems that have the greatest potential for impact including public health, healthcare, schools and jails.
The new report identifies Texas, Illinois, Louisiana and Michigan as states in need of the most opioid overdose response support in at least one system. This fall, Ready to Rescue will host a tailgate activation at schools near Chicago, IL, and will be joined by Release U – Release Recovery's digital personal development and mental wellness platform designed to meet the needs of today's students in Dallas, TX, Baton Rouge, LA and Detroit/Ann Arbor, MI. In light of the rise of synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, paired with potential stressors that many students face,ii Smith and Clark will discuss the connection between mental health and substance use, while encouraging students to look out for each other by normalizing these topics. During the events, attendees will also receive Ready to Rescue kits with information on the signs of an opioid emergency and watch NARCAN® Nasal Spray demonstrations, so they can be prepared to save a life using the simple "Lay, Spray, Stay" method.
"Having personally navigated the profound challenges of opioid dependency after brain surgery and supported so many truly incredible people on their sobriety journeys at Release Recovery, I know that opioid emergencies can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time," said Zac Clark, founder & CEO of Release Recovery. "I'm proud to be teaming up with Emergent for these campus events to extend critical naloxone resources that will help the next generation be better prepared in an opioid emergency. Every conversation is an important step in changing the course of the epidemic, and ultimately, saving lives."
Opioid misuse and dependency is the highest among young adults ages 18 to 25,iii yet less than 15 percent of American college students know how to administer live-saving opioid reversal naloxone medications.iv In honor of IOAD's focus on overdose prevention and to help close this gap, Emergent is also sponsoring Mobilize Recovery's Campus Surge initiative, which will provide action-driven overdose education and harm reduction engagement across several additional college campuses nationwide. This year, Campus Surge will provide life-saving resources and prevention tools to schools at the start of the academic year to empower students to activate change.
"On International Overdose Awareness Day and every day, Emergent honors the countless lives lost from opioid overdoses, and is committed to leading and strengthening our efforts across the U.S. and Canada to help reduce the devastating toll of this public health crisis," said Paul Williams, senior vice president, head of products business, global government & public affairs at Emergent. "Our mission is to protect and save lives – and that is fulfilled when we positively impact at-risk and vulnerable communities, like college students, while also ensuring widespread access and awareness of over-the-counter NARCAN® Nasal Spray 4 mg, so more people can be ready to rescue when it matters most."
Recognizing the signs of an opioid overdose/poisoning—such as trouble breathing, pinpoint pupils, and pale and clammy skin—and acting quickly can be the difference between successfully reversing the effects of a poisoning, and not.v Visit ReadytoRescue.com for additional education and resources, and to learn how to be prepared in an opioid overdose emergency with life-saving intranasal naloxone visit NARCAN.com (U.S. site) and NARCANNasalSpray.ca (Canada site).
Emmitt Smith and Zac Clark are paid spokespeople for Emergent.
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 save lives. For over 25 years, we've been at work preparing those entrusted with protecting public health. We deliver protective and life-saving solutions for health threats like smallpox, mpox, botulism, Ebola, anthrax and opioid overdose emergencies. To learn more about how we help prepare communities around the world for today's health challenges and tomorrow's threats, visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
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i https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2025/20250514.htm
ii https://americanaddictioncenters.org/rehab-guide/college
iii https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8750763/
iv https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38648053/
v Product Monograph. 2025. NARCAN® Nasal Spray. Retrieved from https://narcannasalspray.ca/PM/NNS_EN.pdf.
