App “OD Help” could help fight opioid epidemic on Eastern Shore
In an effort to help fight the heroin epidemic, the FDA went to technology hubs to come up with an app to help get anyone experiencing an opioid overdose with the closest supply of a naloxone, a life-saving drug. The winner was an app call OD Help.
One of OD Help's features allows someone to put out a call for help instantly connecting them with people nearby who have naloxone.
Locally Dr. Michael Finegan, executive director of Peninsula Addiction Service, says the app could help.
In Wicomico County most emergency responders are equipped with naloxone, but Finegan says this app could be a life saver in some instances where an ambulance is too far away.
"This app will also help because if there's an individual that is using this app that is two minutes away and that the ambulance is 15 minutes away, well that can sometimes be the difference between life and death," Finegan said.
The sticking point Finegan said is that for this app to work the users or people who know the users have to buy in.
"We have to encourage those individuals to recognize the seriousness of the threat so if an individual has had difficulties or they've lost one or two or three or four of their friends from overdose, hopefully that's enough to say hey, I need some additional help and I can use an app like this," Finegan said.
Locally though Finegan said he's already been proactive in the local effort to make naloxone more available for those who need it.
Through a partnership with the community pharmacy he said every patient suffering from addiction leaves with medication in their hand.
"Day one they do not leave this practice without narcan in their possession because there's a significant problem which we discovered with just writing the script so that they can go to the pharmacy, more that 50 percent of the patients never get to the pharmacy," Finegan said.
But whether it's through treatment – or through an app – Finegan says getting narcan to those who need it is what matters.
