Reply

Abstract

In their response to our commentary 1 Hill G.L. Evoy K.E. Reveles K.R. Pharmacists are missing an opportunity to save lives and advance the profession by embracing opioid harm reduction. J Am Pharm Assoc. 2019; 59: 779-782 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (10) Google Scholar addressing pharmacists’ limited uptake of vital opioid harm reduction strategies, Dr. Frenzel et al. 2 Frenzel O. Strand M.A. Bright D.R. DiPietro Mager N.A. Letter to editor regarding “pharmacists are missing opportunities to save lives and advance the profession by embracing opioid harm reduction”. J Am Pharm Assoc. 2020; 60: 664-665 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (2) Google Scholar note that pharmacists are positioned uniquely to implement primary prevention strategies, too. We appreciate this perspective and the substantial expertise of the contributing authors. We are investigating primary prevention strategies and agree that they have a role in pharmacy practice. It is likely that more proactive patient education related to opioid adverse effects and addiction potential, appropriate storage and disposal, and nonopioid alternatives for chronic pain could have reduced the severity of today’s overdose crisis had they been implemented in the early 2000s. However, the nature of this public health crisis has evolved substantially since that time. Regarding “Pharmacists are missing opportunities to save lives and advance the profession by embracing opioid harm reduction”Journal of the American Pharmacists AssociationVol. 60Issue 5PreviewThe commentary “Pharmacists are missing opportunities to save lives and advance the profession by embracing opioid harm reduction” pointed to pharmacists’ lack of readiness to dispense naloxone and little willingness to provide sterile syringes for illicit drug use.1 We concur that dispensing naloxone is a critical tool in preventing opioid-associated overdose deaths,2 and syringe exchange services are effective in infectious disease prevention.3 Full-Text PDF CorrectionJournal of the American Pharmacists AssociationVol. 61Issue 1PreviewReply. J Am Pharm Assoc. 2020;60(5):e22–e23. Full-Text PDF