According to recent reports, the Hennepin County Sherriff’s office has repeatedly received defective Narcan applicators supplied by Teleflex Medical; In Minnesota, abuse of prescription opioid painkillers now accounts for more deaths each year than homicides, claiming 336 lives in 2015 alone

In a letter to the CEO, Klobuchar asked that Teleflex take immediate action to ensure that its equipment functions properly and defective shipments are replaced

WASHINGTON, DC – Following reports of defective Narcan applicators received by the Hennepin County Sherriff’s office, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar has called on Teleflex Medical to take immediate action to ensure its equipment functions properly. According to recent reports, the Hennepin County Sherriff’s office has repeatedly received defective Narcan applicators supplied by Teleflex Medical. In Minnesota, abuse of prescription opioid painkillers now accounts for more deaths each year than homicides, claiming 336 lives in 2015 alone. In a letter to the CEO, Klobuchar asked that Teleflex take immediate action to ensure that its equipment functions properly and defective shipments are replaced.

“Law enforcement officers are working hard to combat the devastating opioid abuse epidemic in my state and around the country. It is essential that they are equipped with the tools needed to do their jobs, and that they can rely on those tools to work in an emergency,” Klobuchar wrote. “For that reason, I ask that Teleflex take immediate action to ensure that its equipment functions properly and defective shipments are replaced, which is crucial to the Hennepin County Sheriff’s office and other law enforcement agencies in their efforts to respond to overdoses and save lives.”

As a former Hennepin County Attorney, Klobuchar has long led local and national efforts to curb drug abuse and help people overcome addiction. Klobuchar was one of four senators, along with Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Rob Portman (R-OH), and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), to lead the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA). This bipartisan bill, which was signed into law last July, encourages states and local communities to pursue a full array of proven strategies in the fight against opioid addiction. At the end of 2016, $1 billion was made available by Congress to fund the national effort. To build on the monumental first step of CARA, Klobuchar also introduced the Prescription Drug Monitoring Act, which would require the use of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) in all states that receive certain federal funding to combat opioid abuse and also requires states to make their PDMP data available to other states. Klobuchar and Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) also introduced the Budgeting for Opioid Addiction Treatment (LifeBOAT) Act, which would establish a permanent funding stream to provide and expand access to substance abuse treatment. In September 2014, the DEA implemented Klobuchar’s bipartisan Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act. Under the legislation, consumers are provided with more safe and responsible ways to dispose of unused prescription medications and controlled substances.

The full text of Klobuchar’s letter is below:

Dear Mr. Smith:

I write to express my concern following reports that the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office in my state has repeatedly received defective Narcan applicators supplied by Teleflex Medical. This is a serious issue with potentially life-threatening consequences.

Law enforcement officers are working hard to combat the devastating opioid abuse epidemic in my state and around the country. It is essential that they are equipped with the tools needed to do their jobs, and that they can rely on those tools to work in an emergency.

For that reason, I ask that Teleflex take immediate action to ensure that its equipment functions properly and defective shipments are replaced, which is crucial to the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies in their efforts to respond to overdoses and save lives. 

Thank you for your attention to this important matter. I look forward to hearing from you about the steps your company plans to take to address this issue.

Sincerely,

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