Contact:  Sen. André Jacque
(608) 266-3512

Lifesaving measure will help prevent opioid abuse in Wisconsin

MADISON – The state’s budget-writing committee voted today to help fight Wisconsin’s opioid epidemic by incorporating Senate Bill 134, authored by Sen. André Jacque (R-De Pere) and Rep. Chuck Wichgers (R-Muskego), into the state’s biennial budget. The legislation requires the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to submit records received through the Wisconsin Ambulance Run Data System (WARDS) relating to the use of naloxone (also known as Narcan or Evzio) or another opioid antagonist to the state
prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP).  In 2017, among 70,237 drug overdose deaths across the U.S., 47,600 (67.8%) involved opioids.

“This legislation ensures tracking of naloxone administration by first responders in a way that is actually helpful to prescribers,” Jacque said.

Naloxone is the opioid antagonist most commonly used to treat opioid overdoses. Wisconsin law already requires emergency responders to report use of naloxone and other opioid antagonists to DHS, but there is no mechanism in place for sharing that information with other health entities around the state.  Jacque’s legislation funds the interface modifications necessary to make the information available to those who might otherwise
unknowingly prescribe dangerous quantities of opioids to individuals who recently overdosed and did not disclose that information to the prescriber. SB 134, and now the state budget, will require that information to be shared with the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP).

“Knowing how often we use naloxone or a substitute is the same as knowing how often we’re treating people for opioid overdoses,” Jacque said.  “Adding this vital information to the PDMP will share data that we can use to fight opioid addiction, decrease reliance on self-disclosure by patients of their overdoses, and simultaneously provide another intervention point in the physician/patient relationship to address opioid abuse.”

Sen. André Jacque represents Northeast Wisconsin’s First Senate District, consisting of Door and Kewaunee Counties and portions of Brown, Calumet, Manitowoc, and Outagamie counties.

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