Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Senate committee approves bill encouraging naloxone co‑prescribing for high‑risk opioid patients
Summary
The Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee passed Senate Bill 505 to allow co‑prescribing of naloxone at defined opioid dosage or risk thresholds, require patient counseling, and provide limited prescriber protections; supporters cited high opioid prescribing and rising overdose deaths in Arkansas.
Senate Bill 505, approved by the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee, authorizes co‑prescribing naloxone or another opioid antagonist in specified high‑risk situations and requires health care professionals to counsel patients on opioid risks and naloxone use. The sponsor said the change is aimed at reducing overdose deaths and increasing conversations between clinicians and patients.
Supporters told the committee the bill targets three clinical risk situations: patients prescribed opioids at or above a…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
