Evidence-Based Approaches to Opioid Overdose Recognition and Management: Share the Facts – Save Lives

To mark International Overdose Awareness Day on 31st of August 2021, the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP), in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), presented an online event profiling naloxone programmes as a pathway for improving outcomes in the treatment of opioid dependence, overdose reduction, and saving lives. 

Experts in opioid overdose reduction will deliver presentations to offering the following learning outcomes:
 
•    A brief introduction to features of opioid overdose and recognition
•    Overview of prevention and risks of occurrence 
•    Available interventions (drug and other treatment options, first responders / direct response naloxone, take-home naloxone)
•    What is naloxone?
•    Recent findings and evidence on the effectiveness of naloxone
•    Implementation challenges and availability

Presentations                

Welcome Remarks and Moderator Comments            12:00 pm – 12:15 pm 

• Joanna Travis-Roberts (ISSUP Global)
• Charlotte Sisson, Moderator (DOS/INL)

Introduction to the UNODC-WHO Initiative to Stop-Overdose-Safely (S-O-S)

• Dr. Dzmitry Krupchanka (WHO)                                  12:15 pm – 12:30 pm

• Anja Busse (UNODC)                                                  12:30 pm – 12:45 pm

S-O-S Results

• Professor Paul Dietze (Burnet Institute, Australia)     12:45 pm – 1:00 pm

Effectiveness of Naloxone in Saving Lives 

• Professor Sir John Strang (Kings College, UK)          1:00 pm – 1:15 pm                       

Questions & Answers                                                 1:15 pm – 1:30 pm