Medical emergencies occur again and again on board commercial aircraft. Therefore, most airlines carry some medications in on-board pharmacies. Unless there is a doctor or nurse in the cabin by chance, accidental overdoses can also occur.
In the United States of America, a law was passed in May of last year that requires carriers to have an antidote in the event of opioid overdoses. It's not just about being able to treat any overdoses that could come from medications administered on board, but also responding to the fact that the abuse of opioids - mostly for addiction reasons - is a widespread problem in the USA.
Opium addiction is a major problem in the United States
Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that approximately 2022 Americans died due to drug overdoses in 109.000 alone. The vast majority had opioid overdoses. In order to be able to react quickly and quickly in the event of an emergency on board commercial aircraft, it has been mandatory since May 2023 that appropriate antidotes must be carried.
However, the legislature also provided for a transition period. This is due to the fact that the airlines have to purchase the pharmaceutical product in large quantities due to the size of their fleet and, as is well known, there are always delivery bottlenecks in this industry. Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Delta Airlines and American Airlines have chosen the naloxone product.
As part of further training for cabin crew, employers train their flight attendants on how to use the medication correctly. Newcomers receive this additional knowledge as part of their training. There are different versions of naloxone, as it can be administered both as a nasal spray and in the form of an injection. According to the CDC, the special feature is that it should not cause any harm to people who do not have opioids in their bodies, because in this case it should be ineffective.
Southwest Airlines carries its own blood glucose meters
The FAA's implementing regulation stipulates that by the end of 2024, all commercial airliners must carry an opioid overdose medication in the on-board pharmacy and cabin crew must be trained accordingly. Which manufacturer the airlines purchase the medication from and whether nasal sprays or injections or both are carried is the responsibility of the respective operator of the aircraft. However, there are precise regulations as to how much such medication must be on board, depending on the size of the aircraft.
Southwest Airlines has announced that it will be upgrading its entire fleet this year and that employee training has been underway for some time. In a release they explain that the new kits have been put into the machines since December 2023 and that they should go far beyond the requirements of the CDC and FAA. For example, stethoscopes, blood pressure monitors, pulse oximeters and blood glucose meters are also on board and employees are trained accordingly. Those affected or the flight attendants are not always lucky enough to have a doctor and/or a nurse among the passengers who can provide emergency treatment as medical professionals.