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Allegheny County expands access to Naloxone with vending machines on college campuses

Photo: Hanson - stock.adobe.com

October 28, 2024

Allegheny County is taking steps to expand access to life-saving naloxone, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, by placing vending machines on college campuses, according to a Union Progress report.

The Allegheny County Health Department is working with local universities to identify high-need areas for these machines, particularly in residence halls. "We want this to serve as a low-barrier way to access this life-saving medication," Ottis Pitts, deputy director of the Bureau of Food Safety, Housing and Policy, told the news outlet.

While specific details are being finalized, the health department is considering various dispensing methods, including stand-up vending machines, newsstand-style boxes and medicine cabinets. Each machine would provide free naloxone kits, often containing two doses.

This initiative is part of a broader effort to combat the opioid crisis in Allegheny County. In addition to naloxone, the vending machines will also include fentanyl test strips to help individuals assess the risk of their substances.