Cmaj Podcasts

Send us a textIn this interview, Dr. Nancy Campbell talks about the history of naloxone. In today’s reality of opioid addiction epidemics in many areas of the world, naloxone is highly regarded as a life-saving drug that reverses opioid overdose — it's a technology of solidarity. But it was once considered a technology of suspicion. It had to pass through social cycles of innovation, adoption, and backlash. It was even used by law enforcement to test individuals suspected of using narcotics. Its history is a fascinating one.Dr. Nancy Campbell is professor and department head of Science and Technology Studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.She has authored many books on the topic, including Discovering Addiction: The Science and Politics of Substance Abuse Research as well as a forthcoming book called OD: Naloxone and the Politics of Overdose Prevention.Her CMAJ Medicine and Society article is titled “Naloxone as a technology of solidarity: history of opioid overdose prevention.” Th