At the scene of Hayden Panettiere’s death, investigators discovered a small nasal spray used urgently against certain overdoses. This medicine, sold in the United States under the name Narcannow occupies a central place in the investigation into the death of the actress Heroes And Nashvilledied at age 36 in Greenville, South Carolina. Emergency services were called for a “cardiac arrest” and a possible “overdose”, and a device for administering this product was found on a mattress.
Narcan contains naloxonea molecule capable of countering the potentially fatal effects of opioid overdose such as heroin, fentanyl, morphine or codeine. The Ministry of Health recalls on its website: “In France, 80% of overdose deaths are due to opioids. An antidote medication, naloxone, exists in a ready-to-use form that can be used by everyone. (…) Early administration of naloxone could prevent 4 out of 5 overdose deaths.” This context gives the measure of the issue surrounding this spray.
Narcan and naloxone: how this drug works on an overdose
Narcan most often comes in a ready-to-use nasal spray, but there are also injectable ampoules. The naloxone it contains is an opioid receptor antagonist: it temporarily takes the place of the drug on these receptors and can allow breathing to resume within a few minutes. In the United States, this type of product is available without a prescription and can be administered by anyone who witnesses a suspected overdose.
However, its effect remains limited in time. Health authorities explain that it is relatively short and sometimes shorter than that of the opioid in question. Symptoms may therefore reappear. This is why the official instructions are clear: “Emergency services must therefore be called immediately and the person monitored until their arrival.“. In some cases, several successive doses are necessary to keep the person alive until medical treatment.
Narcan in the United States, naloxone in France: an increasingly accessible antidote
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration has authorized the over-the-counter sale of Narcan spray, which explains why it can be found in private homes, in the same way as a defibrillator or a first aid kit. This choice responds to the wave of overdoses linked to fentanyl and other strong opioids. Anyone can therefore keep a kit on hand if they live or work in an exposed environment.
In France, ready-to-use forms of naloxone have been available since 2016. Prenoxad (injectable) and Ventizolve (nasal spray) can be obtained without a prescription in pharmacies, while Nyxoid requires a medical prescription. These medications are also distributed free of charge in Addiction Care, Support and Prevention Centers (CSAPA), Risk Reduction Support Centers for Drug Users (CAARUD) or in hospitals, when leaving specialized services.
Death of Hayden Panettiere: what the presence of Narcan allows, or not, to affirm
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office said in a statement: “No signs of trauma that could have contributed to the death were noted. The cause and circumstances of death remain to be determined pending the continuation of the investigation and the results of additional examinations.“. According to several media, two ambulances were dispatched to the scene and Narcan was administered, without certainty that it was administered to Hayden Panettiere herself.
Specialists insist on one point: “However, the presence of naloxone at the scene does not, in itself, establish that Hayden Panettiere was the victim of an opioid overdose, nor that the administration of naloxone could have prevented his death.“. A spray can be found in an apartment because a person at risk has it, because it was brought by emergency services, or because it was used for another patient. In this case, only toxicological analysis and continued investigation will make it possible to understand the possible role of opioids and Narcan.