State naloxone co-prescribing laws show mixed effects on overdose mortality rates. (July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Duska, MaryKate; Rhoads, Jared M.; Saunders, Elizabeth C.; Onega, Tracy
• Is Part Of: Drug science, policy and law. Volume 8(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-07
• Subjects: opioids -- overdose -- naloxone -- state policy -- co-prescribing; Drugs -- Social aspects -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Drugs -- Law and legislation -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Drug abuse -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Drugs -- Periodicals; 362.290941
• DOI: 10.1177/20503245221112575
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-3245

Abstract

Objective: To examine the relative changes in opioid overdose mortality rates between states that have and have not adopted naloxone co-prescribing laws. Methods: We performed a synthetic control analysis. National Vital Statistics data for the years 2012–2018 were analysed, and five states with naloxone co-prescribing laws were examined: Arizona, Florida, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia. Opioid overdose-related deaths were identified through cause-of-death ICD-10 codes. Results: Our pooled analysis for all opioid-related deaths showed no significant changes in opioid-related mortality rates in treated states, post naloxone co-prescribing law adoption (−0.05; 95% CI: −0.43, 0.33). Rates of other and unspecified narcotic-related mortality rates in Rhode Island were found to have decreased post-law adoption (−0.13; 95% CI: −0.25, −0.00). Conclusions: These findings suggest that naloxone co-prescribing laws were not associated with changes to overall opioid overdose mortality rates, post-law adoption, during the study period. However, Rhode Island did see a decrease in other and unspecified narcotic-related mortality rates post-law adoption. This is perhaps due to the comprehensive nature of the state's law. As overall rates of naloxone co-prescribing remain low, interventions to enhance naloxone prescribing and distribution may be necessary for co-prescribing laws to impact opioid-related mortality rates.