Rutgers Study Finds ‘Narcan Deserts’ In NJ's Largest Cities

NEWARK, NJ — People living in some of New Jersey's largest cities have less access to lifesaving opioid overdose drugs than those in smaller, wealthier towns, Rutgers University researchers say.

Earlier this week, researchers at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School published a study that analyzed how a city’s “population and affluence” correlated with the availability of naloxone in retail pharmacies.

Their conclusion? There’s a drug gap in the Garden State.

Naloxone, also sold under the brand names Narcan and Evzio, can reverse the effects of opioids on the central nervous system in an overdose. Unfortunately, the medication can be expensive and difficult to obtain, especially if you don’t have insurance.

The study compared naloxone availability in 90 retail pharmacies in 10 New Jersey cities to median household income, population and the prevalence of opioid-related hospital visits over a five-month period. (Read the full study here)

Researchers found that naloxone was available in 60 percent to 70 percent of retail pharmacies in more affluent, lower-population communities such as Little Silver, Readington and Flemington, but was available in less than 25 percent of lower-income, high-population cities such as Camden, Newark, Atlantic City and Vineland City. (See detailed results below)

“These cities with limited naloxone access also have the most severe opioid-related public health concerns,” said lead author Kevin Lozo, a medical student at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. “This shows that New Jersey has naloxone ‘deserts’ where the medication is needed most.”

Lozo gave two possible explanations for the disparities: lack of insurance and types of retail pharmacies in low-income areas.

“Cities with an underinsured population do not create demand for pharmacies to stock naloxone, which can cost up to thousands of dollars,” he said.

Another factor is that the pharmacy retail chains CVS and Walgreens have committed to stocking naloxone in their stores, but fewer of these retail stores may be located in low-income cities, researchers said.

“We found that 75 percent of the CVS and Walgreens stores surveyed had naloxone available, versus only 14 percent of other retailers,” said Diane Calello, executive and medical director of New Jersey Poison Control, which is based at the medical school. “This study demonstrates that there is much more to be done to get naloxone into the hands of people who most need it.”

Local results from the study follow below.

• Atlantic City – available in 16.67% of pharmacies
• Camden – available in 25% of pharmacies
• Flemington – available in 60% of pharmacies
• Little Silver – available in 66.67% of pharmacies
• Millville – available in 28.57% of pharmacies
• Newark – available in 21.43% of pharmacies
• Old Bridge – available in 28.57% of pharmacies
• Readington – available in 66.67% of pharmacies
• Vineland City – available in 15.38% of pharmacies
• Wildwood – available in 50% of pharmacies

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