Gundersen doc behind US Surgeon General recommendation of more people carrying Narcan

A recommendation by the US Surgeon General is something that ER physician Chris Eberlein of Gundersen in La Crosse can get behind.

US Surgeon General Jerome Adams made the recommendation that everyone should have the overdose antidote Narcan with them.

Eberlein says the drug is important for more people than just addicts

“If you have prescriptions at your house, you should have access to this. You don’t know if someone else is going to get into it. Take it inadvertently. Even a few minutes before EMS gets their can be too long.”

The main issue is cost according Eberlein, which runs at about $80 for one dose, although most insurance companies cover the antidote.

Most schools in the US have heart defibrilators somewhere in the building, to revive a person in case of cardiac arrest.

With more and more young people experiencing with drugs, Narcan might be next.

Eberlein said, “I think we’re going to see it more prevalent in places. We have been trying to promote it for the dorms in colleges. Is the next step making sure that it is available for a school nurse or something?”

Narcan is currently the only known antidote that reverses an opiate overdose.