Walgreens, This Must Be The Place partner to provide OTC naloxone for festival goers
Walgreens and This Must Be the Place, an overdose prevention nonprofit dedicated to keeping music safe, are partnering to provide access to the over-the counter overdose prevention medication, naloxone for festival goers during a series of upcoming music and art festivals.
TMBTP will have a booth at the festivals to hand out free kits of Walgreens brand Naloxone HCI Nasal Spray, as well as educate festival attendees about the opioid crisis and how to respond to an overdose.
TMBTP is a nonprofit who has made it their mission to make music fans safer. TMBTP travels from festival to festival to deliver free naloxone, a life-saving nasal spray proven to rapidly reverse opioid overdoses, to fans across the country. By facilitating the donation of 12,000 units of the Walgreens Brand Naloxone HCI Nasal Spray, equivalent to more than $400,000 of free product, Walgreens is helping the organization continue to deliver on this mission while also continuing to support the health and wellbeing of communities across the country.
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“Walgreens is committed to removing barriers to naloxone access and our network of retail pharmacies is uniquely positioned to address the opioid overdose crisis. By working with TMBTP, we are able to reach and educate even more people about this life saving medication,” said Priya Mammen, senior medical director in the Walgreens office of clinical integrity. “As an emergency physician, I have seen first-hand that overdoses can happen to anyone, regardless of age, background or other factors. Providing access to over-the-counter naloxone creates an opportunity for bystanders, friends and family members to potentially save a life. In the event of an accidental overdose, every second counts.”
“By harnessing the arts and the power of music, we are able to bring life-saving medication to populations across all imaginable demographics. From country music to electronic to pop music fans, festival attendees have proven time and time again that they want to be equipped with the tools to save someone’s life,” said William Perry, co-founder of This Must Be The Place.
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“While we have been able to reach lots of people, there is still so much work to be done, and we’re excited this donation is going to be able to propel our work that much further,” said Ingela Travers-Hayward, co-director of This Must Be The Place.
“Far too many lives are being lost to overdose. Fortunately, we know what it takes to save people. The Biden-Harris Administration continues to make sure the necessary tools—such as naloxone—are quickly and easily available so anyone can respond to an emergency situation— anytime, anywhere,” said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Midwest regional director Michael Cabonargi. “Naloxone is a lifesaving medication and should be as readily available as first aid kits in all public spaces, from schools, to housing communities, businesses—or major events. This work will help to ensure these lifesaving medications are accessible and protects the millions of Americans that might need them.”
Walgreens offers naloxone at a lower price than the comparable national brand product at Walgreens stores, providing a critical point of access for the nearly 10 million customers and patients the company serves every day in local communities throughout the U.S.
For information on how to use Walgreens Brand Naloxone HCI Nasal Spray and frequently asked questions, please visit Naloxone - OTC Narcan Nasal Spray (walgreens.com).