Local medical providers are offering help to addicts and their families in the wake of the current surge in overdose reports.
A total of 22 people have been treated for non-fatal heroin overdoses in the last week, Conemaugh Memorial Medical Centers spokeswoman Amy Bradley said. One fatality was reported.
Conemaugh Family Medical Center on Franklin Street and Johnstown Free Medical Clinic are among locations offering life-saving drug, Narcan, for addicts' families and friends to have in an emergency.
"At the Family Medical Center, we have prescribed it for home use," family practitioner Dr. Richard Wozniak said. "What we tell the family is: If they have a family member they suspected of overdosing on narcotics, this will temporarily reverse the effects.
"It is basically a rescue medicine to keep them from dying before they get medical care."
Narcam is the brand name for naloxone. Conemaugh Memorial emergency physician Dr. Matthew Perry credited the drug with saving the lives of most overdose patients brought by ambulance to the hospital.
The medicine is carried by a growing number of emergency responders and police.
Authorities say an unusually potent batch of heroin, possibly laced with other drugs, has been circulating in the area. Stamp bags carrying the names "Bulletproof" and "Head Trauma" have been linked to many of the 22 non-fatal overdoses and at least one death.
Health care workers are not judging the users, but merely working to save their lives, Free Clinic director Rosalie Danchanko said.
"Our goal is to get (Narcan) into the hands of family members of drug addicts and prevent the loss of life," she said.
The Free Clinic is also working on a needle exchange program to prevent the spread of HIV and hepatitis B and C, Danchanko said.
"We have seen an increase in the incidence of (sexually transmitted diseases), hepatitis C and soft tissue infections because of dirty needles," Danchanko said.
The 320 Main St. clinic has a supply of needles available and is developing procedures to get them into the community, she said.
"They don't really want to be addicts," Danchanko said. "If we could help them to reduce the risk for all the other problems, and build their trust, maybe we can reach a point where we can get them into a recovery program."
A total of 22 people have been treated for non-fatal heroin overdoses in the last week, Conemaugh Memorial Medical Centers spokeswoman Amy Bradley said. One fatality was reported.
Conemaugh Family Medical Center on Franklin Street and Johnstown Free Medical Clinic are among locations offering life-saving drug, Narcan, for addicts' families and friends to have in an emergency.
"At the Family Medical Center, we have prescribed it for home use," family practitioner Dr. Richard Wozniak said. "What we tell the family is: If they have a family member they suspected of overdosing on narcotics, this will temporarily reverse the effects.
"It is basically a rescue medicine to keep them from dying before they get medical care."
Narcam is the brand name for naloxone. Conemaugh Memorial emergency physician Dr. Matthew Perry credited the drug with saving the lives of most overdose patients brought by ambulance to the hospital.
The medicine is carried by a growing number of emergency responders and police.
Authorities say an unusually potent batch of heroin, possibly laced with other drugs, has been circulating in the area. Stamp bags carrying the names "Bulletproof" and "Head Trauma" have been linked to many of the 22 non-fatal overdoses and at least one death.
Health care workers are not judging the users, but merely working to save their lives, Free Clinic director Rosalie Danchanko said.
"Our goal is to get (Narcan) into the hands of family members of drug addicts and prevent the loss of life," she said.
The Free Clinic is also working on a needle exchange program to prevent the spread of HIV and hepatitis B and C, Danchanko said.
"We have seen an increase in the incidence of (sexually transmitted diseases), hepatitis C and soft tissue infections because of dirty needles," Danchanko said.
The 320 Main St. clinic has a supply of needles available and is developing procedures to get them into the community, she said.
"They don't really want to be addicts," Danchanko said. "If we could help them to reduce the risk for all the other problems, and build their trust, maybe we can reach a point where we can get them into a recovery program."
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