Naloxone Dispensing to Youth Ages 10–19: 2017–2022
Naloxone prescriptions to adolescents increased dramatically over the past few years but still are too low given rising rates of opioid overdoses, according to a new study.
Naloxone is lifesaving in the event of an opioid overdose but is underutilized in adolescents. Youth-serving clinicians can play a role in expanding naloxone access by offering it to all youth at risk for opioid-involved overdose, including by prescription. Understanding naloxone dispensing trends to youth can inform efforts to expand its use.
Main Points
During 2021/22 Quarter 2 (1 July 2021 to 30 September 2021):
- From 2017 to 2022, 59 077 prescriptions for naloxone were dispensed to youth ages 10 to 19.
- Dispensing rates increased 669%, from 6.6 to 50.9 prescriptions per 100 000 adolescents, with increases each year.
- Dispensing varied by specialty and sex. Pediatricians accounted for an increasing proportion of prescriptions dispensed with a 6-year increase of 991%.
- Seventy-four percent of prescriptions were paid through commercial insurance.
- Although most prescriptions dispensed had low to 0 cost-sharing, 20% had out-of-pocket costs exceeding $25, and over 6% had out-of-pocket costs exceeding $75.