Summary
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in relation to England and Wales and Scotland, and in conjunction with the Department of Health NI in relation to Northern Ireland (pursuant to Section 45(1) of the Medicines and Medical Devices Act 2021), is seeking views on new legislative proposals to expand access to take-home naloxone supplies and naloxone for emergency use to further prevent deaths due to an opioid overdose.
Consultation description
Naloxone is a life-saving drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose and can help to prevent overdose deaths. Anyone can administer naloxone in an emergency but currently, it can only legally be supplied to an individual for future use by a list of professionals and services named in the Human Medicines Regulations 2012.
- Under the new proposals Naloxone to be made accessible at homeless shelters and to the public in emergencies
- UK Government launches consultation to help combat rising drug deaths from opioids
- This is part of a record £3.4 billion investment including in drug and alcohol treatment and education services
Hundreds of people at risk of overdosing on opioids could be saved by providing homeless shelters with access to naloxone.
The UK government has unveiled plans to expand access to the life-saving medication that reverses opioid overdoses, with a 10-week UK-wide consultation launched today (29 December 2025).
The move is a central part of the UK government’s comprehensive approach to drug and alcohol misuse and treatment, supported by a record £3.4 billion over the next 3 years up to 2029.
DHSC have issued a press release which can be viewed here: Lives to be saved by boosting access to drug overdose medication - GOV.UK
The consultation document can be accessed via the following link: Expanding access to naloxone: supply and emergency use - GOV.UK