App That Alerts Naloxone Carriers to Nearby Overdoses Wins FDA Contest

An app that alerts people carrying the opioid overdose antidote naloxone to someone nearby who has overdosed is the winner of a competition created by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The goal of the competition was to spur innovation around the development of a low-cost, scalable, crowd-sourced mobile phone application that helps increase the likelihood that opioid users, their immediate personal networks, and first responders are able to identify and react to an overdose by administering naloxone.

The winning app, called OD Help, can also interface with a breathing monitor to detect when a person is overdosing, according to CNN. It gives instructions on diagnosing an overdose and administering naloxone. The app can also notify emergency services that more help is required.