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Experiences with getting naloxone from pharmacies in Australia?

sjnichols

sjnichols

Bluelighter
Joined
Jun 9, 2017
Messages
22
Location
Sydney
Hey everyone,

My name is Sam, and I'm a journalist with the ABC. I've posted call outs here a little while ago (back when I worked for VICE) + I've cleared this with the admin, but I'm currently working on a story about naloxone + naloxone access in Australia. I've been reading + hearing stories that some people are having problems with trying to get it from pharmacists.

I'm hoping to hear more about people's experiences with getting naloxone from a pharmacist (that can be anywhere in Australia but I'm especially hoping to hear from people in Sydney/NSW). I'm also interested to hear more broadly about people's experiences with pharmacists in general -- if they're good/bad/mixed etc.

Happy to talk about anonymity if needed, but please fresh out if you're interested to chat. You can DM me here, or email me at [email protected] or [email protected].

Thanks everyone!
 
Kinda crazy that naloxone is something drug users out there need to search for... it as well as fent test strips are literally the only things in a bulletin board meant for business cards in my town park last i saw. You literally can't give it away, let alone have trouble sourcing in the USA.
 
Nalaxone is supposed to be S3 when supplied as an auto-injector and a nasal spray. You'd think this means that all one must do is present to a pharmacy, reauest the drug, have a brief consult with said pharmacist then receive Nalaxone.

In practice it's actually a lot more difficult then this. I have had substantial trouble getting Nalaxone from pharmacies, especially those outside of the city and inner city. Sometimes it's because they didn't stock it, didn't have stock but more often it was the case that I was refused it.

On the other hand local community health centres (those run by the QLD government) readily supply Nalaxone and its of very little hassle.
 
more often it was the case that I was refused it.
Click to expand...

What reason did they give for the refusal?

I'm struggling to think of why they wouldn't give out something which, as far as I know, only has one function. Is there some kind of conservative or religious notion creating resistance to supplying it?
 
Halif2 said:
What reason did they give for the refusal?

I'm struggling to think of why they wouldn't give out something which, as far as I know, only has one function. Is there some kind of conservative or religious notion creating resistance to supplying it?
Click to expand...
It was usually something along the lines of "I'm unable to dispense this to you. Get a prescription from your GP and I can."

To your second question: I really do not know. I've also been refused injection equipment from pharmacies. The frustrating thing about that is that it was equipment clearly intended for IM use. Maybe they think that by supply this sort of thing they are enabling drug use. I know us on Bluelight and in other communities recognise this isn't the case, but I can see how someone who doesn't know better may see it as rationale.
 
It was usually something along the lines of "I'm unable to dispense this to you. Get a prescription from your GP and I can."
Click to expand...

Huh.

I just googled 'naloxone Melbourne' and found some info on an Aus gov website which states:

Under the national Take Home Naloxone program, naloxone will be available free of charge and without a prescription across all participating pharmacies in Australia. Naloxone is also available over the counter from non-participating Take Home Naloxone program pharmacies for a fee.
Click to expand...

Is this program something that is being proposed? It says naloxone "will be" available, no script required. It sounds like they're saying you will be able to get it from pharmacies, whether they're participating in the scheme or not (with the difference being you have to pay for it in the non-participating places).

With fentanyl and nitazenes showing up in non-opioid substances, it seems that now would be a good time for naloxone to be easily accessible.
 
I asked my local pharmacist and her response was "um yeah I think I heard about that". She spoke to her colleague and said they would order it in. I went back 3 days later and they had it. I noticed there was a new sign "Get naloxone here" and a bunch of stock. Pretty good outcome in a sleepy suburb of Sydney. Not great they hadn't really heard of the program but good recovery. No stigma or questions - just helpful.
 
I have not attempted to get it from a pharmacy but its easily obtained at the safe injecting room in Richmond.

I'll ask around at a few Pharmacies when filling scripts during the week and let you know how I go.
 
My pharmacist asked me if I wanted something free with my prescription that month and she gave me a box of Nyxoid Nasal Spray.

Naloxone should be given to every person, every time they fill an opiod script.. as well as anyone who asks. And like in a bowl at the chemist counter
 
It's good that it's available free of charge. Necessary to save lives. I've never used it / acquired it though.
They should take it out of suboxone though...I never saw the point of it, and was glad when I swapped to Subutex / Buvidal.
Didn't deter me from injecting it....and I don't think it even works like that anyway because Bupe binds more strongly than Naloxone/Naltrexone.
 
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