Pharmacy staff-reported adaptations to naloxone provision and over-the-counter (OTC) syringe sales during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experiences across multiple states and 2 pharmacy chains.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Access to harm reduction materials was greatly disrupted during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Community pharmacies often continued provision of harm reduction materials as part of their usual operations during the pandemic, but little is known about what, if any, adaptations were made and the perceived impact of these actions from the perspective of pharmacy staff.

Objectives

We explored how pharmacy staff across 4 states in 2 major pharmacy chains adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic for ongoing naloxone and over-the-counter (OTC) syringe access and how staff perceived the pandemic affected drug use in the community they served and their pharmacy's volume of syringe sales and naloxone provision.

Methods

We analyzed 134 pharmacy staff responses to a 12-m

SUBMITTER: Green TC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11014459 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan-Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature