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Announcing Another Tool to Save Lives

Today, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new drug that will build upon our work to turn back the tide of our nation’s overdose epidemic. This new product – Evzio - works by delivering a single dose of naloxone via a hand-held auto-injector that can be carried in a pocket or stored in a medicine chest for rapid access by first responders and caregivers responding to an opioid overdose. 
 
Why is this so important?  Naloxone is a lifesaving overdose reversal drug that rapidly reverses the effects of opioid overdose and is currently the standard treatment for overdose.  This product is easier to administer than naloxone products that must be administered via syringe and is similar to an epi-pen. 
 
The FDA’s approval of another overdose reversal drug could not come at a more urgent time.   Drug overdose deaths, driven largely by prescription drug overdose, are now the leading cause of injury death in the United States – surpassing motor vehicle crashes.
 
There are no silver bullet solutions to our nation’s overdose epidemic. Prevention, treatment, and smart on crime efforts each play a vital role in protecting public health and safety in America.  Working together, we can save lives and strengthen our nation’s ability to prosper.