THE FOLLOWING IS A JOINT STATEMENT FROM THE OREGON MEDICAL BOARD, THE OREGON BOARD OF PHARMACY, AND THE OREGON STATE BOARD OF NURSING.
The Oregon Medical Board, the Oregon State Board of Nursing, and the Oregon Board of Pharmacy encourage all licensees to familiarize themselves with the laws and standards for distributing and dispensing short-acting opioid antagonists to those who may need or request them. Expanded access to short-acting opioid antagonists contributes to broader harm reduction efforts against the opioid crisis and will help save lives.
In 2023, the Oregon Legislature passed and Governor Kotek signed into law
HB 2395 and
SB 450, which increased the accessibility of short-acting opioid antagonists (naloxone and nalmefene) for the reversal of opioid overdose.
HB 2395 allows a health care professional, a pharmacist with prescription and dispensing privileges, a law enforcement officer, a firefighter, an emergency medical services provider, or any other person designated by the State Board of Pharmacy by rule to:
- Distribute and administer a short-acting opioid antagonist and the necessary medical supplies to administer the short-acting opioid antagonist (“kit”);
- Distribute multiple kits to:
- An individual who has experienced an opioid overdose or is likely to experience an opioid overdose;
- Family members of an individual who has experienced an opioid overdose or is likely to experience an opioid overdose; and
- Any other individual who requests one or more kits; and
- Distribute multiple kits to social service agencies or to other persons who work with individuals who have experienced an opioid overdose. The social services agencies or other persons may redistribute the kits to individuals likely to experience an opioid overdose or to family members of the individuals.
Such distribution of short-acting opioid antagonists does not require a prescription.
SB 450 exempts short-acting opioid antagonists in the form of a nasal spray from certain labeling requirements when the opioid antagonists are personally dispensed by a health care provider at their practice location.