The opioid crisis has devastated countless communities across Canada, but Indigenous communities have been disproportionately impacted. [i],[ii] Emergent BioSolutions, the makers of NARCAN® Nasal Spray, is committed to being part of the solution conversation. Visit them in the lounge at Forward Summit | EAST to learn about how you can obtain naloxone for your community and/or business.
Canada’s opioid crisis disproportionately impacts Indigenous Peoples, owing to a legacy of colonialism, racism and intergenerational trauma.[ii],[iii],[iv] Many communities have declared public health emergencies due to the increasing number of opioid-related overdoses and deaths among First Nations in recent years.[v] Rates of opioid-related hospitalizations and poisonings among Indigenous populations are much higher than non-Indigenous Canadians – almost six times higher and three times higher, respectively.[ii]
Emergent BioSolutions is a global public health threats company and the makers of emergency interventions like NARCAN® Nasal Spray.[vi] They are committed to supporting harm reduction in Indigenous communities, understanding that Indigenous harm reduction goes beyond keeping people safer while using substances.[iii] Indigenous harm reduction means undoing the harms of colonialism, which place Indigenous people – First Nations, Métis and Inuit – at higher risk of harmful substance use.[ii]  This means a decolonized, Indigenized approach to harm reduction that re-connects people to culture and rebuilds relationships.[iii]
Each Indigenous community from coast-to-coast-to-coast has unique and individual needs when it comes to harm reduction and opioid poisoning prevention. Emergent works with stakeholders and representatives from communities to ensure access to NARCAN® Nasal Spray on their terms. Naloxone, including NARCAN® Nasal Spray, is used to treat someone who has overdosed on opioids. It can be used by anyone to reverse the effects of the overdose until medical help arrives.[vii] Always read the label and follow the directions for use.[vii]
Emergent employs Indigenous Community Health Solution Managers across Canada whose job it is to engage with local communities, listen and learn about what their needs are, and help them navigate the system so they can better support their communities.
When Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) recently made changes to how Indigenous communities order NARCAN® Nasal Spray in bulk to hand out to residents, Emergent responded to find a solution. Under this new process, bulk ordering is still available for Indigenous communities across Canada directly through Emergent, communities can order NARCAN® Nasal Spray via a portal designed specifically to meet their needs. For questions or to order directly, email narcanindigenous@ebsi.ca or visit OrderNARCAN.ca/indigenous.
Sponsoring the lounge at Forward Summit | EAST is a priority for the Emergent team. They look forward to engaging in discussions with business, community and thought leaders about the best ways to work together on harm reduction.
Visit them in the lounge at Forward Summit | EAST to learn about how you can obtain naloxone for your community and/or business.
References:
[i] Federal, provincial, and territorial Special Advisory Committee on the Epidemic of Opioid Overdoses. Opioid- and Stimulant-related Harms in Canada. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada; September 2023. https://health-infobase.canada.ca/substance-related-harms/opioids-stimulants/
[ii] Library of Parliament: The Opioid Crisis in Canada. (n.d.). Accessed August 2024 from https://lop.parl.ca/sites/PublicWebsite/default/en_CA/ResearchPublications/202123E
[iii] Canadian Medical Association Journal: Reconciliation and Canada’s overdose crisis: responding to the needs of Indigenous Peoples. Accessed August 2024 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6291395/
[iv] Thunderbird Partnership Foundation. First Nations Opioid and Methamphetamine Survey: National Aggregate Short Report March 2022. Accessed August 2024 from https://thunderbirdpf.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/FNOM_Short-Report_EN-WEB.pdf
[v] AFN Opioid Strategy Report. Assembly of First Nations Chiefs Committee on Health, National First Nations Health Technicians Network, Mental Wellness Committee, Stephanie Wellman; 2016. Accessed August 2024 from https://www.afn.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/AFN-Opioid-Strategy_Full-Report-ENG.pdf.
[vi] Emergent BioSolutions. https://www.emergentbiosolutions.com. Accessed March 1, 2024.
[vii] Product Monograph. NARCAN® Nasal Spray. Oakville, Ontario: Emergent BioSolutions Canada Inc.; 2021. Accessed August 2024. Â
Legal:
NARCAN® Nasal Spray is a pure opioid antagonist indicated for emergency use to reverse known or suspected opioid overdose, as manifested by respiratory and/or severe central nervous system depression. NARCAN® Nasal Spray can be administered by a bystander (non-health care professional) before emergency medical assistance becomes available, but it is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical care. Emergency medical assistance (calling 911) should be requested immediately when an opioid overdose is suspected, before administering naloxone.7
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