25 Year Old Hatboro-Horsham Native Closes Multi-Million Dollar Deal

25 year old, Kelsey Roy, closed a multi-million dollar deal on April 10, to make Naloxone more readily accessible to people across the United States. After advocating across the country to lower the cost to almost nothing and expand the ability to obtain this life-saving opioid antagonist, Kelsey Roy has settled with several pharmaceutical companies to ensure it is readily available.

Kelsey Roy began her mission after struggling with her own opioid addiction for several years. In 2016, Ms. Roy was diagnosed with endocarditis after years of intravenous drug use. Endocarditis is a life-threatening inflammation of the inner lining of the heart's chambers and valves. This lining is called the endocardium. Endocarditis is usually caused by an infection. Bacteria, fungi or other germs get into the bloodstream and attach to damaged areas in the heart. In August of 2016, after several blood transfusions, multi-organ failure, and weeks in the ICU at University of Pennsylvania Hospital, Kelsey underwent open heart surgery to repair the extreme damage done to her heart.

Kelsey continued to struggle with opioid addiction long after recovering from the surgery. After overdoses, drug treatment stints, 12 step fellowships, and continued medical issues, Kelsey found recovery in early 2018.

Death of loved ones, friends, and fellow recovering addicts pushed Kelsey to use her own experience and her passion for recovery to advocate for the safe and effective drug known as Naloxone. Naloxone is a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose. It is an opioid antagonist. This means that it attaches to opioid receptors and reverses and blocks the effects of other opioids. Naloxone can quickly restore normal breathing to a person if their breathing has slowed or stopped because of an opioid overdose.

After years of fighting to help combat the deaths of opioid overdoses, pharmaceutical companies have now agreed to lower the cost of this prescription drug to almost nothing and expand the ability to obtain this life-saving opioid antagonist. Naloxone will now be easily accessible to any one in need.

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, please contact SAMHSA at 1-800-662-HELP.