The opioid epidemic has reached new levels in Maryland, increasing the need for life-saving medications like naloxone. Baltimore City Health Commissioner Leanna Wen says there isn't enough naloxone to meet the demand.
She says more than 800 people have been saved in the last two years with overdose reversal medications, but numbers are skyrocketing driving up the costs of naloxone.
"We are short of funding for it," Wen said. "There's plenty of naloxone if we're able to buy it and the manufacturers have been generous in that we've received donations from some of the manufacturers and we've gotten thousands of units of Narcan from these manufacturers, but we should not depend on the charity of drug companies."
Dr. Wen says the Health Department is depending on the state and federal governments to provide funding for these medications.
