Announcement Details
Announcement Message
From the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH):
Earlier this month, SFDPH was informed about a fatal overdose involving counterfeit pills – pills that looked like ordinary prescription medications but contained dangerous substances that the individual likely had no way of knowing were present. This case is a reminder of two things we want people to know:
- Counterfeit pills can contain anything. Pills purchased outside of a licensed pharmacy can look exactly like familiar prescription medications but contain unknown and potentially lethal substances. There is no way to tell from appearance alone whether a pill is safe. A single counterfeit pill can be fatal.
- New and more dangerous synthetic opioids are present in San Francisco's drug supply. This case involved a novel synthetic opioid not previously detected in San Francisco fatalities. The safest choice is to avoid any pill that has not been prescribed to you and did not come directly from a pharmacy.
Naloxone (also known by the brand name Narcan) is a safe, over-the-counter medication that reverses opioid overdoses when administered in a timely manner. Anyone – including clinicians, teachers, adults and young people themselves – can carry and use it. If you suspect someone is overdosing, administer naloxone and call 911 immediately.
Effective treatment for opioid addiction is available and works. Medications such as buprenorphine and methadone are proven to reduce overdose risk and support recovery, and they are widely available across San Francisco.