All 55 West Virginia’s counties are participating in the annual Save a Life Day on Thursday, an effort focused on providing the overdose reversal drug naloxone to the most at-risk members of the state’s population.
Law enforcement and first responders often carry the drug — also known as its brand name Narcan — but campaigns like Thursday’s event focus on distributing naloxone to as many people as possible.
“It’s a very rare occurrence anymore to give Narcan initially in the emergency room for the overdoses,” said Dr. Chris Edwards, the medical director of Mon Health Systems’ emergency department.
Edwards noted physicians in the health care system primarily see overdoses related to using heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Read more: