The study comes as pharmaceutical companies continue to market expensive high-dose formulations of naloxone, arguing that amid record drug death levels resulting from potent synthetic opioids like fentanyl, it’s essential to deliver as much of the overdose-reversal medication as possible. Public health experts and harm-reduction groups have pushed back, however, charging that the companies have used Americans’ fear of fentanyl as an excuse to sell needlessly expensive naloxone products to cash-strapped public health agencies.
From my understanding, one of the benefits of higher dosages is to account for improper use. Not to say pharmaceutical companies should get a pass, but it’s something to consider.
I’d like to see some evidence proving that higher dosages are necessary. If the harm reduction groups using naloxone are saying they don’t need it, my feeling is we should believe them.