New Brunswick university stocks up on opioid overdose antidote naloxone

A New Brunswick university has stocked up on naloxoneto prepare for the possibility of an opioidoverdose on campus, and at least two other universities in the provinceare looking into the idea.

The move comes as the deadly fentanyl crisis continues to sweep eastacross the country.

Fentanyl is a prescription painkiller about 100 times more powerful than morphine and often leadsto overdoses.

Mount Allison University in Sackvillenow has thepotentially life-saving antidote naloxone on campusand two security guards who are qualified to administer the medication, confirmedspokesperson Laura Dillman Ripley.

Additional staff will also be trained in how to inject naloxone, she saidin anemailto CBC News.

"This would be acompetency training to complement but not to take the place of a 911 call, which is the first response," said DillmanRipley.

The university will continue to work closely with local first responders, including paramedics and RCMPofficers,to "ensure the safest and most efficient response in the event of an incident," she said.

• Universities in Nova Scotia stocking campuses with naloxone kits

The University of New Brunswickis considering acquiringnaloxone"asa precautionary measure," said spokesperson DavidStonehouse, noting neither of its campuses in Saint John andFredericton have experienced an overdose.

"As we look at this, we will be consulting with health and security professionals to ensure that, should we decide to take this step, the safety of everyone on our campuses remains paramount, including those that might be given the responsibility of administeringnaloxone," he said in an email.

In the meantime, if an overdose should occur, the university's advice is to call 911 and rely on the expertise of first responders,said Stonehouse, noting both campuses are located close to hospitals.

It's smart to be proactive and I applaud the universities that are doing so.- Jeffrey Carleton, St. Thomas University

St. Thomas University in Fredericton plans to consult with the province's chief medical officer of health on the issue in the coming days,said spokesperson Jeffrey Carleton.

"We're going to make sure we understand the risks and see what we can do to be best prepared," he said.

STU will also co-ordinate with UNB, which provides campus security services, before making any decisions about whether to have naloxoneon site, said Carleton.

"They're right across the street from our campus, the Dr. Everett Chalmers(Regional) Hospital is a block away, so we'll take all those factors into account as we decide what position we're going to take."

STU has not had any overdoses on campus, "but that doesn't mean we're not going to," said Carleton.

"It's smart to be proactive and I applaud the universities that are doing so."

The University of Monctonplans to hold a drug awareness campaign in November to educate students about opioids,said spokesperson Jean-Luc Thriault.

Expected surge in fentanyl overdoses

Across Atlantic Canada, governments have stepped up monitoring of opioid-related overdoses, preparing for an expected surge in overdoses related to fentanyl.

In New Brunswick, public health officials have started tracking non-fatal opioid overdoses through paramedics and hospital emergency rooms.

BetweenMarch and July,at least 47 peoplewere treated for opioid overdoses in the province and survived.That number does not capture people who died from an overdoseor people who were revived outside a hospital with naloxone.

For several months, the New Brunswick governmenthas been studyingwhether to follow the lead of other provinces like Alberta and Nova Scotia and expand publicly funded access to naloxone. The kits cost about $35.

At least three universities in Nova Scotiahave been stocking up on naloxoneandtraining staff, students and security officers on how to administer the drug.

The University of King's College campus in Halifax has naloxone kits available with first-aid kits, which are carried byresidence staff and are also accessible through King's residence reception desk, dean of students Nicholas Hatt has said.

About 70 people on campus are trained, he said.

Students can also request their own kit through Dalhousie University's health and wellness office, to which King's students have full access, said Hatt.

Cape Breton University and St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonishare also taking a proactive approach, officials have said.