Source: State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy
In recognition of Overdose Awareness Day on Thursday, August 31, the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy (SOBP) is partnering with the Office of Governor Mike DeWine, RecoveryOhio, the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, and the Ohio Department of Health to offer no-cost fentanyl test strips to all Ohio terminal distributors of dangerous drugs.
As you may know, the country’s illicit drug supply is increasingly tainted with illicit fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is many times more potent than heroin. One way for people who use drugs to potentially avoid overdose from unknown levels of fentanyl in their drugs is to make it possible for them to check their drugs for fentanyl before they use them. Testing strips that were originally used to detect drugs in urine are being used by many people to check drugs for the presence of fentanyl. These fentanyl test strips have proved to be extremely easy to use and very effective, detecting the presence of fentanyl almost 100% of the time.
Distribution and use of these strips can be a crucial factor in avoiding overdoses even among people who use drugs other than opioids. In certain areas, most of all drugs tested, not just opioids, were positive for fentanyl. Surveys of people who use drugs have shown that respondents would change their behaviors if they were able to detect the presence of fentanyl in their drug supply, whether it be not using the drugs, using the drugs with others who have naloxone, or using the drugs more slowly.
To help save lives, the SOBP encourages you to make these important tools available to your patients. The SOBP is offering each licensee up to two boxes of strips per order (100 strips per box).
Strips will be available until supplies last and may be reordered by the same location if additional strips are needed. Additionally, you may also request copies of the SOBP’s test strip educational handouts (100 per pack) and the naloxone education brochure.
Orders must be placed online.