“Naloxone is very effective and relatively inexpensive ,” says Doyon. “The benefits of allowing bystanders who are properly trained to administer the medication are unmeasurable. Death occurs minutes after a victim stops breathing, and often occurs before first responders arrive at the scene. Naloxone administered by bystanders early can be life-saving.”
Previous studies have shown that the administration of naloxone by bystanders has reversed the effects of an opioid overdose in anywhere from 75 to 100 percent of documented cases.