Are take-home naloxone programmes effective? Systematic review utilizing application of the Bradford Hill criteria.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Fatal outcome of opioid overdose, once detected, is preventable through timely administration of the antidote naloxone. Take-home naloxone provision directly to opioid users for emergency use has been implemented recently in more than 15 countries worldwide, albeit mainly as pilot schemes and without formal evaluation. This systematic review assesses the effectiveness of take-home naloxone, with two specific aims: (1) to study the impact of take-home naloxone distribution on overdose-related mortality; and (2) to assess the safety of take-home naloxone in terms of adverse events.

Methods

PubMed, MEDLINE and PsychINFO were searched for English-language peer-reviewed publications (randomized or observational trials) using the Boolean search query: (opioid O

SUBMITTER: McDonald R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5071734 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature