When someone is injured and needs an ambulance, the only pain medicine first responders have onboard are narcotics, regardless of the seriousness of the injury. Now, state public health officials are considering allowing lower dosage pain killers, like Tylenol, to be stocked on ambulances, in light of the growing opioid epidemic.
Dr. Matthew Bivens, director of emergency services at St. Luke's Hospital, has helped push the idea through state approval channels. WCAI’s Kathryn Eident talked with Bivens about why medicines like Tylenol haven't been used sooner in emergency medical services.