A Model to Save Lives Through a Volunteer First Responder Service Providing Antidote Treatment in Opioid Overdose

Opioids are responsible for the greatest drug-related global health burden. Prevention and treatment programs for people with opioid use disorder are widely implemented, but further actions are required to reduce the mortality and morbidity caused by opioid use and dependence. We suggest a novel and unique approach with a volunteer first responder system for suspected opioid overdoses, integrated with national emergency call services. The idea derives from the success of volunteer first responder systems for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. Several reports exist globally with results of increased survival rates, less complications and a beneficial time-gain to start of cardiopulmonary resuscitation before emergency services (like ambulance and fire fighters) arrival.

Our model aims to investigate feasibility, acceptability and safety of a smartphone-based volunteer first responder system for suspected opioid overdoses. The volunteer responders will be equipped with an emergency kit including two doses of the opioid antidote naloxone, which can reverse life-threatening respiratory arrest caused by intoxication of opioids. The responders will, prior to registration, accomplish an in-depth overdose and naloxone education, as well as a first aid course aligned with current European and Swedish resuscitation guidelines. The results will be collected through questionnaires to the responder participants, technical data from the responder application, and dispatcher, pre-medical/paramedical and hospital records among others. Both quantitative and qualitative methods will be used. The major question is if the model is feasible in alerting lay persons with naloxone to suspected overdose situations and successfully administer naloxone prior to emergency service arrival. Furthermore, experiences of safety during alerts among volunteer first responders and overdose victims will also be studied.

Our model is unique in its integration with emergency medical dispatch service along with overdose and first aid education prior to participant registration. The respiratory arrest of opioids is an acute life-threatening condition, which - in similarity to cardiac arrests - need emergent actions for survival. A reduced time to naloxone administration through volunteer first responders prior to ambulance arrival could save lives.