FDA launching new app competition to help combat heroin overdoses
Imagine an app that could save lives. That's the driving force behind a new initiative from the Food and Drug Administration. This week the FDA announced a nationwide competition calling all coders to create a smartphone app intended to connect people with first responders in the case of an overdose.
Naloxone still requires a prescription in the U.S., but many states have worked to provide it to first responders, law enforcement, and family members of heroin and opioid users. But the FDA says an app could help save more lives.
47 ABC spoke with Bill Premo, network manager at UMES. Premo says, "If they have what they need to respond when there's an overdose and this app and someone triggers a response that's going to allow them to react more quickly than if someone picks up the phone and calls 911."
Premo thinks the app could help a lot, if it has a smart design. In Premo's view, this means accurate tracking and steps about how to use naloxone properly. Premo tells 47 ABC, "When seconds matter you're going to save some seconds when GPS app is able to identify an issue. Because we have improved communication, because everyone has a cell phone, we can improve the time to respond when there is an emergency so i see using technology in a good way in that way."
Pharmacy student Brittney Brooks-Grey agrees with Premo. Brooks-Grey tells 47 ABC, "I think it will be very effective especially since this is the technology era everyone's on their phone or on their computer so apps are a really great way so if someone is under stress you can easily get to the app if you don't know what to do or get to someone who could be a first responder and really help the person out."
The FDA also says that the app should provide information about preventing overdoses. Brooks-Grey tells 47 ABC, "Sometimes just traditional ways of looking at a newspaper might not work so we have to kind of reach the masses."
The competition will start September 23rd and will go through November 7th. The winner will walk away with $40,000 to continue developing their product. The FDA is also reportedly collaborating with the federal business innovation research program to help the winner kick-start their company.
