Overcoming barriers to the prescription/dispensation of take-home naloxone among French primary care professionals: a regional training initiative

Eur J Public Health. 2026 Apr 11;36(3):ckag074. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckag074.

Abstract

Opioid-related mortality is a global issue, and France shows high opioid use disorder indicators. Despite recommendations for wider take-home-naloxone distribution, access remains limited in France, and many primary care professionals lack training. The SINFONI project aims to enhance naloxone education for these providers. A motion-design training program was created and sent to general practitioners (GPs) and pharmacists. A total of 138 GPs and 207 pharmacists participated in the knowledge assessment before and after training. Post-training, significant improvements were observed, and the greatest knowledge gains were in understanding naloxone's safety (P < .001). Our findings primarily identified critical "red flags" that may hinder prescription and dispensing practices.

MeSH terms

  • France
  • General Practitioners* / education
  • Humans
  • Naloxone* / administration & dosage
  • Naloxone* / therapeutic use
  • Narcotic Antagonists* / administration & dosage
  • Narcotic Antagonists* / therapeutic use
  • Opioid-Related Disorders / drug therapy
  • Pharmacists
  • Primary Health Care

Substances

  • Naloxone
  • Narcotic Antagonists