Naloxone which is referred as an opioid overdose antidote has been an essential tool to fight the epidemic of heroin and opioid. Taking Naloxone could be simply conducted with the use of a tube-like that transports the drug into the nose hole. However, Teleflex, the producer of the device has deliberately issued a recall of the tool.

Just this week, Teleflex received a letter of complaint that a huge number of affected users claimed that it pours like a stream, which is opposite to the expected performance that it would release an atomized spray.

The Teleflex Medical acknowledged receipt of the letter and said that the letter's subject was to recall the inter-nasal mucosal device. However, as to why they were asked of a recall, Telefax stated that the reason was being a manufacturer, they might not deliver an outright medication plume, said Fox6.

Consequently, the drug was no longer effective as before. Shannon Manzi, a pharmacist, at Boston Children's Hospital pointed out that the lesser the surface area protected, the lesser it completes the absorption.

As of 27 October, Jake Elguicze, a Teleflex representative said that there were six complaints received but none has been seriously injured or has died of using the device.

Despite that Food and Drug Administration has been notified of the recall, the use of the atomizer to take naloxone is an off-label. Thus unfavorable incidents that paralleled to it should no longer be reported.

In addition, it has been accounted that over 66 batches were affected of the recall which were distributed nationally, CNN reported.

Whereas, Dr. Ed Boyer, emergency medicine professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, has identified that on the first hand it was their failure. However, he said that the drug is rampant on the streets, thus it heightens the consequences.

The professor said that they had multiple doses of failures and had wondered whether the device failure could be partly responsible. However, the reality is that existence of high-potency opioids such as fentanyl require that full doses be best delivered if successful retraction of poisoning is reached.

Since 2000, a rate of 200% increase has been observed on opioids overdose fatalities, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One of the causes includes heroin and prescription narcotics. Accidental deaths in the US were caused of drug overdoses.

To hinder that rate to escalate, an utmost effort was exerted by the authorities. It has allowed that naloxone be more available to law enforcement, paramedics and community members.

A data showed that between 1996 and 2014, at least 152,000 naloxone kits have been dispensed to non-medical and non-first responder individuals. It was noted that kits with reverse overdoses reached to 26,000.

Related