Connecticut State Police Issue Voluntary Re-Call on Narcan

This article was published on: 11/4/16 9:19 PM by Mike Minarsky

The Connecticut State Police has issued a voluntary recall of Narcan. Narcan is used in the event of a suspected opioid overdose. Since the inception of the program (October 2014) State Police had 128 calls for service/medical distress assists. Of those 128, 120 survived after receiving Narcan; 116 were revived after receiving the drug and 4 had no response but lived. Since the recall State Police used this device to administer Narcan 33 times. These 33 applications were successful and saved lives. In a release from Connecticut State Police they state they are confident in the device, but out of an abundance of caution are taking steps to mitigate the risks associated with the recall. It is important to note that the products affected by the recall may be less effective, but are not harmful to use.

Effective immediately, State Police will be receiving 700 replacement devices to swap the recalled devices with. In the following weeks they will receive the additional 500 new devices to swap out with the recalled devices. In the meantime they will be sending two troopers to each suspected opioid overdose in the event that the dispensing mechanism on the device fails. State Police have conducted shift briefings and implemented additional training to inform personnel of the potential for a defective dispensing mechanism and its indicators (product not being absorbed in nasal passage, medication running out of patient’s nose). Commissioner Schriro is confident that our personnel will continue to save lives around the state using this medication.