Naloxone prescriptions from US retail pharmacies increased substantially from 2012 to 2018

An observational report examined trends in naloxone prescriptions dispensed from retail pharmacies across the United States from 2012 to 2018. The analysis did not report a specific sample size, comparator group, primary outcome, or follow-up period. The main finding was that the number of naloxone prescriptions dispensed increased substantially over this period, with a reported 106% increase specifically from 2017 to 2018. Absolute numbers of prescriptions were not reported, nor were statistical measures like p-values or confidence intervals provided. No information was reported regarding the safety, tolerability, or adverse events related to naloxone dispensing in this context. Key limitations include the observational nature of the data, which cannot establish causality, and the lack of reported health outcomes, patient characteristics, or prescription details. The report's funding and potential conflicts of interest were not reported. For practice, this report describes a notable increase in pharmacy-based naloxone access, but clinicians should recognize this as a measure of dispensing, not necessarily of appropriate use, patient need, or clinical impact.