Starting November, Seattle will become the first U.S. city where emergency medical technicians and firefighters in the field can use buprenorphine to treat people who have overdosed on fentanyl, according to city officials.
The announcement follows the success the city has had with its paramedics administering the medication since February. If used regularly, experts say, buprenorphine can reduce fatal overdoses by nearly 70% and help people recover from opioid use disorder.
Tags: Buprenorphine EMT Harm Reduction Opioid Epidemic Overdose
