Ohio Senate Health & Human Services Committee
Proponent Testimony, House Bill 4
Kelsey Kresser, Student Pharmacist
The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy
April 15, 2015
Chairwoman Jones and Members of the Committee, thank you for allowing me the
opportunity to provide testimony in support of House Bill 4. My name is Kelsey Kresser,
and I am a second year Pharmacy student at The Ohio State University College of
Pharmacy.
I am excited to share my experience working on Project HOPE at Nationwide Children's
Hospital with you. I hope that an explanation of my work conveys the importance of
passing this bill and demonstrates the utility of pharmacists and pharmacy interns in the
distribution of naloxone.
I spent last summer volunteering in the Adolescent Clinic at Nationwide Children's
assisting with the Medication Assisted Treatment for Addiction (MATA) Program. This
clinic focuses on treating 14-21 year old patients who are addicted to opioids or heroin.
The program combines pharmacologic and behavioral therapies to ensure that the
patients have the best opportunity to succeed in their recovery.
After being seen by the social worker and physician, my role was to go into the patient's
room and perform the naloxone counseling. When I met with the patient, we would talk
about more than just how to use the device. We would discuss the signs of an
overdose, how to respond to an overdose (check for response, call 9-1-1, perform
rescue breathing, administer naloxone, help with recovery), how to administer naloxone,
the risks for overdose and storage of their kit. I would always ensure that the patient or
family member felt confident that they could use the device before I left the room.
Pharmacists and pharmacy interns in the community are in the perfect position to
provide this level of care; in fact they are traditionally the only health care providers who
are readily accessible to patients and families in need.
Allowing pharmacists and pharmacy interns to distribute naloxone would greatly
increase the availability of this life-saving drug. We can no longer stand idly by as
approximately five Ohioans die every day from this disease. I hope that I have shown
you that pharmacists and pharmacy interns have the full ability to teach their patients
about naloxone and how to respond to an overdose, and we are ready to be a part of the
solution to this major public health issue.
Thank you for allowing me to provide testimony in support of HB 4 today. I am happy to
answer any questions you may have.