The Impact of Co-Dispensing Naloxone to Patients Prescribed Chronic Opioid Therapy

This is a pragmatic, pharmacy-based, cluster randomized controlled trial of a naloxone co-dispensing program for adults prescribed chronic opioid therapy. Pharmacies (target N=6) will be randomized to the order in which they are encouraged to implement a naloxone co-dispensing program for patients prescribed chronic opioid therapy. The intent of this program is to provide patients prescribed chronic opioid therapy naloxone for potential opioid overdose reversal under the terms of a standing order. Participants prescribed chronic opioid therapy who use randomized pharmacies will be recruited to receive knowledge and risk surveys at baseline and over the follow-up. The primary outcome is opioid risk behaviors (target enrollment is 200 patients). Secondary outcomes include knowledge about overdose and naloxone, substance use, and pain intensity. Patients who use randomized pharmacies (anticipated n=550 patients) will also be followed in the electronic health record for secondary outcomes: naloxone dispensings, changes in opioid dose, aberrant urine toxicology results, and overdose events.