Frisbie Hospital 1st in NH to offer standing order to pharmacies for over-the-counter Narcan

ROCHESTER, N.H., Oct. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Frisbie Memorial Hospital announced in a press conference Monday that it is the first hospital in New Hampshire to provide a standing order to area pharmacies for Naloxone (Narcan) the life-saving opioid antidote for drug overdoses.

A nasal spray form of the antidote is now available for purchase over-the-counter at Walgreens, Rochester to those at risk of overdose, for those addicts who have yet to seek treatment, or for concerned family members or friends.

"Gov. Hassan sent a letter to prescribers urging us to make Narcan more widely available to people who need it. Frisbie Memorial Hospital heard that call loud and clear," said John Marzinzik, Frisbie Memorial Hospital President/CEO.

"I am seeing grocers, construction workers, office workers, students, sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, people from all walks of life," said Dr. Mathurian Malby, director of emergency at Frisbie Memorial Hospital.

Last year over 300 deaths in the state of New Hampshire were from drug overdoses and this year that number may reach over a thousand.

"Narcan literally takes a victim from death's grasp and brings them back to life. You cannot recover from an addiction if you're dead," Dr. Malby said.

Narcan has the potential to save more lives than any other medication in the United States this year.

Pharmacists are required by law to explain how to administer the nasal spray. Narcan will be available at additional area pharmacies as early as next week.

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SOURCE Frisbie Memorial Hospital