Alberta’s Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction has enabled workplaces to purchase and administer naloxone in the event of an opioid overdose. More workers will be enabled to administer injectable naloxone for opioid overdose as part of their job duties, provided the employer and worker comply with requirements established by the Government of Alberta.
This expands the availability of naloxone for the public beyond the existing Community Based Naloxone Program, which remains in effect for individuals to acquire kits at no charge for personal use or to support an individual.
Pharmacies are not expected to stock naloxone kits for workplaces; the kits can be ordered on a request basis. Representatives from workplaces can contact a pharmacy if they wish to purchase kits for workplace use. Pharmacy team members are not expected to make the determination of which program is appropriate, nor should kits sold for workplace use be documented on the purchasing individual’s record of care.
Pharmacy team members are also reminded that the provision of Community Based Naloxone Program kits does not require the pharmacy team member to collect or document any personally identifying information.
Workplaces are being informed that naloxone kits are now available to order and purchase through participating pharmacies. Pharmacy participation is optional. Pharmacies may purchase naloxone kits from distributors, then sell to workplaces as per usual and customary retail practices. The naloxone kits available at no charge through the Community Based Naloxone Program remain the same with a black coloured case. The naloxone kits for sale will be provided in a red case.
It should be noted that ACP’s Providing naloxone as an unscheduled drug: Guidelines for pharmacy teams only apply to pharmacy team members supplying naloxone for personal use and not to naloxone for sale to workplaces. As such, pharmacy team members are not expected to train or provide training for individuals who purchase naloxone on behalf of workplaces. The government has created training for these organizations.
For more information on workplaces purchasing naloxone, refer to the Government of Alberta website or Alberta Blue Cross Benefact #1083. General questions about workplace naloxone should be directed to mentalhealthandaddiction@gov.ab.ca.
