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Narcan Partnership Seeks To Save Not Just Lives, But Dollars, In Camden County

CAMDEN, NJ (CBS) -- Major health care providers in Camden County are teaming up with law enforcement to ensure that an antidote for opiate overdoses is available to every cop on the street.

Cooper, Virtua, Kennedy Jefferson and Lourdes Health Systems have agreed to buy Narcan in bulk. That lowers the price. And they've also gotten together with the Camden County Prosecutor's Office to provide it to police to use on patrol.

"It's going to make sure that first responders have the necessary supply of the antidote and that is the most important thing that will come of this," County Freeholder Director Lou Cappelli told KYW Newsradio.

He wasn't able to say just how much money police departments might save under the partnership. The goal here is to trim the number of fatal opioid overdose victims. There were 277 of them in Camden County last year.

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