New 'Fentanyl Fighter' Pilot Program In Broome County Aims To Sav

On April 22, 2024, Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar announced that county deputies and corrections officers are now equipped with a new tool to help save lives and prevent overdose deaths both in the Broome County Correctional Facility and in the community.

An FDA-approved opioid antagonist - Opvee is a nasal spray that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose and quickly helps restore blood pressure, breathing, and consciousness to those experiencing a potentially fatal overdose.

photo provided by the Broome County Sheriff's Office

Broome County Road Patrols and Corrections Divisions are now carrying this fentanyl fighter along with Narcan, as part of a pilot program according to the Broome County Sheriff's news conference.

For over 15 years, combatting the opioid crisis that has ravaged our communities has been a personal priority for me, both in law enforcement and as a member of the New York State Senate. Ten years ago, I joined countless advocates across our state in supporting the introduction of Narcan to save lives and prevent overdose deaths across New York State. Today, it’s clear that the landscape has changed and our community needs to utilize as many tools as we can to save lives and fight back. - Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar

photo provided by the Broome County Sheriff's Office

According to Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar, raw data reported in the New York State Department of Health’s 2023 Opioid Annual Data Report shows that from 2015 to 2021, opioid overdose deaths in New York involving synthetic opioids increased from 30.8% to 91.6%, a total increase of 197.4%.

In addition, since 2015, New York State has outpaced the nation in overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids. Broome County ranks 4th out of 62 New York counties when it comes to opioid deaths involving any opioid per 100,000 population and 5th regarding overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids according to the NYSDOH report.