Health
Higher-dose naloxone spray doesn't increase overdose survival, study finds
- A study comparing a new, higher-dose nasal spray for opioid overdoses to the standard dose found no increase in survival rates but more side effects.
- The 8-milligram naloxone spray, approved two years ago, was compared to the previous standard dose in rural parts of New York.
- The study, published by the CDC, found no added benefit from the higher dose, with survival rates remaining the same.
A new, higher-dose nasal spray for reversing opioid overdoses did not save more lives than the previous standard dose, but it did cause more vomiting and other side effects, researchers wrote in a study published Thursday.
The 8-milligram naloxone spray — twice as potent as the highest dose previously available — was approved two years ago after pressure from experts and patient advocates who noted lower-dose antidotes often were being given multiple times to people suffering overdoses.
The new study, which was limited to more rural parts of New York state, is being called the first to provide real-world data on the differences between the two sprays. The paper was published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but the federal health agency was not involved in the research.
COLLEGE STUDENTS CAN GET FREE NALOXONE AND FENTANYL TEST STRIPS FROM THEIR SCHOOLS TO PREVENT DRUG OVERDOSES
The higher-dose “did not provide added benefit,” the authors wrote.
Naloxone, used to treat narcotic overdoses, is seen at a safe injection site at OnPoint NYC on Jan. 24, 2022 in New York, NY. A new, higher-dose nasal spray for reversing opioid overdoses did not save more lives than the previous standard dose, but it did cause more vomiting and other side effects. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
“What was really remarkable was the survival was the same, but the amount of withdrawal symptoms was significantly larger in the people that got the 8-milligram dose,” said one of the authors, Dr. Michael Dailey of Albany Medical College.
Dailey said the study did not lead him to endorse one product over another. But, he said, “its important for us to recognize that the potential for increased side effects is real.”
RISING ADOLESCENT DRUG OVERDOSES FORCE SCHOOLS TO KEEP NARCAN SUPPLY ON HAND
The researchers worked with the New York State Police, who respond to emergencies along highways and in rural areas.
Three troops in eastern New York were given 8-milligram sprays. Eight troops based further away from Albany were stocked with 4-milligram doses. The study results were based on 354 instances in which troopers administered naloxone sprays from late March 2022 to mid-August 2023.
In cases where overdose patients were still alive when troopers arrived, 99% survived after getting naloxone, no matter which dose was given.
People who got 4-milligram sprays usually got more than one dose — 1.67 doses on average, equivalent to 6.7 milligrams. But so too did those treated with the 8-milligram sprays, who got 1.58 doses, or 12.6 milligrams, on average.
In both groups, disorientation and lethargy were common when people came to.
But other problems were significantly more common in the patients who got the higher-dose sprays. About 38% experienced signs and symptoms of withdrawal, including vomiting, abdominal pain, sweating, shaking and diarrhea. Only 19% of those getting the lower dose had those problems, the study found.
NALOXONE GROWING ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES AS OPIOID OVERDOSES CONTINUE
That’s a concern because it could actually contribute to future overdose deaths, said Dr. Alexander Walley, a Boston Medical Center addiction specialist who also works with the Massachusetts health department.
If someone has extra withdrawal symptoms when they are rescued from an overdose, they may remember the pain and discomfort of that experience and — experts fear — might actually avoid having someone with naloxone around when they take drugs in the future, Walley said.
The study is limited and imperfect in how it randomized who got which doses, Walley said, but it’s nevertheless “good quality evidence.”
“The solution to a more potent (illicit) drug supply is not necessarily a more potent naloxone,” he said. “It’s having people be witnessed when they use the drugs, and have that witness be someone who can administer naloxone and call for help.”
Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.
Use escape to exit the menu.
Sign Up
Create a free account to access exclusive content, play games, solve puzzles, test your pop-culture knowledge and receive special offers.
Already have an account? Login
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Yoga is known to boost relaxation, strength and flexibility – and now a new study has found the practice could improve cancer survivors’ quality of life.
A randomized trial led by the University of Rochester Medical Center found that a four-week yoga program significantly reduced insomnia, fatigue, anxiety and mood disturbances after cancer treatment.
The findings were presented last week at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago.
CANCER SURVIVORS MAY SEE SURPRISING BENEFITS FROM ONE SPECIFIC EXERCISE, STUDY SAYS
The study was conducted across multiple U.S. community cancer care sites, including 410 adult cancer survivors averaging 54 years of age. Around 75% were breast cancer survivors, and none of them had practiced yoga regularly within the prior three months.
A randomized trial led by the University of Rochester Medical Center found that a four-week yoga program significantly reduced insomnia, fatigue, anxiety and mood disturbances in cancer survivors. (iStock)
The participants were randomly assigned to two groups. Half of them received only standard survivorship care without the yoga, while the other half received standard care and were also enrolled in the Yoga for Cancer Survivors (YOCAS) program.
As part of the YOCAS program, the survivors completed two instructor-led 75-minute yoga sessions each week, including 18 Gentle Hatha yoga and Restorative yoga poses, breathing exercises and mindfulness training.
EATING MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LINKED TO SURPRISING EFFECT ON SLEEP
Based on questionnaires completed by the patients, the survivors in the yoga group experienced “moderate-to-large” reductions in overall mood disturbance, “small-to-medium” reductions in anxiety and “medium-to-large” reductions in fatigue, the study found.
The improvements in mood and fatigue appeared to be linked to yoga’s beneficial effect on sleep quality, according to the researchers.
As part of the YOCAS program, the survivors completed two instructor-led 75-minute yoga sessions each week, including 18 Gentle Hatha yoga and Restorative yoga poses, breathing exercises and mindfulness training. (iStock)
“This indicates that cancer survivors have an option to alleviate these cancer-related side effects at the same time, without adding another drug,” lead investigator Yuri Choi, PhD, of the Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center, in Rochester, New York, told Fox News Digital.
The study did not reveal any major safety concerns or serious adverse events related to the yoga practice.
“This indicates that cancer survivors have an option to alleviate these cancer-related side effects at the same time, without adding another drug.”
The study did have some limitations, chiefly that the findings are preliminary and have not yet been peer-reviewed for a medical publication.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
“The sample in our clinical trial was relatively homogeneous, with most participants being women (96%), breast cancer patients (75%), Caucasian (93%), and having some college or higher education (82%),” noted Choi.
“We are adapting our intervention to reach all cancer patients and survivors, including the creation of a mobile app to reach people in rural communities.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
The research also excluded patients with metastatic cancer (whose disease had spread to other parts of the body).
The total study was only four weeks, so more research is needed to determine long-term benefits.
If the findings are confirmed by peer-reviewed publications, this could lead to recommendations for structured yoga programs as a non-drug supportive therapy for cancer survivors, the researchers noted. (iStock)
If the findings are confirmed by peer-reviewed publications, this could lead to recommendations for structured yoga programs as a non-drug supportive therapy for cancer survivors, the researchers noted.
Some yoga studios may use different names for Gentle Hatha and Restorative yoga, such as Foundations Yoga or Healing Yoga, Choi noted.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“Survivors should also look for certified yoga instructors who have experience working with cancer patients/survivors or individuals with other challenging health conditions,” the researcher advised. “They should not be afraid to ask their oncology team for referrals to qualified instructors in their community.”
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Choi also noted that the research did not reveal whether other types of yoga, such as heated-room or rigorous-flow yoga, are safe or beneficial for cancer survivors.
The study was funded by the National Cancer Institute.
Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.
Use escape to exit the menu.
Sign Up
Create a free account to access exclusive content, play games, solve puzzles, test your pop-culture knowledge and receive special offers.
Already have an account? Login
-
Arkansas3 minutes agoArkansas driver’s licenses and state IDs now available in Apple Wallet
-
California10 minutes agoCalifornia’s race for governor and other key primaries remain unsettled as vote count continues
-
Colorado13 minutes agoColorado community reels after police say driver with revoked license hits three pedestrians, killing one
-
Connecticut17 minutes agoNight forecast for June 2
-
Delaware25 minutes agoThomas Jefferson University to run Delaware’s first medical school
-
Florida28 minutes agoMan accused of kidnapping woman at Wawa in Central Florida
-
Georgia33 minutes ago5 things to know about Georgia mosquito problem amid heat, drought
-
Hawaii40 minutes agoHawaii weather: USGS revised 4.6 magnitude earthquake off Kona coast, south swell, passing showers
