Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of administering naloxone when (a) reversing an overdose and (b) no opioids are present in the system.

The Government considers naloxone to be effective in reducing opioid overdose-related deaths and is working to widen access to, and increase the uptake of, this life saving drug. The Naloxone consultation published on 24 January 2024 seeks views on proposals to expand access to take-home naloxone supplies, with more information available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposals-to-expand-access-to-take-home-naloxone-supplies

Naloxone has a very good safety profile. Using medicines is never without risk but the government’s assessment and the clinical consensus is that the benefits of naloxone far outweigh the risks. Naloxone remains effective when used to reverse the effects of an overdose caused by synthetic opioids.

Naloxone's safety means it is highly unlikely to harm someone if it is administered to them and they are not overdosing on an opioid.