HARRISBURG – The Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee unanimously approved Senate Bill 81, according to the legislation’s sponsor, Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill (R-York). Senate Bill 81 would codify executive orders into law by amending the Pennsylvania Pharmacy Act, permitting EMS providers to leave a dose package of life-saving Naloxone, or Narcan, with the on-scene caregiver of a patient who overdosed on opioids and was revived by the emergency medical technician. Phillips-Hill said, “When I first sponsored this bill in the Senate, fentanyl was about half as likely as it is today to be involved in an overdose leading to death. This committee has done a lot of work highlighting the challenges facing our first responders, and with the passage of this bill, we can address two major challenges impacting our state.” The FDA recently approved naloxone over the counter, which will go into effect later this summer. Senate Bill 81 would expedite that timeline within Pennsylvania. It would also allow other versions of Naloxone that are still under review for over-the-counter sales to be distributed by EMS providers. The bill now heads to the full Senate for consideration.
SEN. KRISTIN PHILLIPS-HILL