New York ( CNN ) -- A new medical device that could save thousands of lives by preventing opioid overdoses was approved Thursday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration . The hand-held auto-injector is designed for family and caregivers to administer a single dose of a drug called naloxone , which rapidly reverses the effects of heroin and other opioids . Called Evzio , the emergency treatment works like the well-known EpiPen -- an epinephrine auto-injector for serious allergic reactions -- as it is injected into the muscle and does not require training , making it more user-friendly . Once injected , the naloxone stops heroin and other opioids from slowing a person 's breathing down to the point that it stops . The FDA approved the prescription treatment after just 15 weeks under priority status . Naloxone has long been used in ambulances and hospitals , but Evzio now allows nonmedical personnel to carry the drug in a pocket or to store it in a medicine cabinet . As use of the new tool becomes more widespread , New York state is doing its part to help combat the epidemic . That was New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman 's message Thursday as he announced a new program to provide all state law enforcement officers with naloxone and train them to use it . It 's the first state in the nation to do so , using $ 5 million in seized drug money to fund their Community Overdose Prevention ( COP ) program . Currently , most law enforcement agencies are using the nasal spray version of the antidote , which is slightly different than the auto-injector . It comes in a kit that costs about $ 60 . With a shelf life of two years , every kit has two pre-filled syringes of the drug , along with other items to help use it safely . Schneiderman says using naloxone allows victims to be brought back `` from the brink of death and buys more time to get to a hospital . '' Noting that there were more than 2,000 opioid overdoses in New York in 2011 , Schneiderman said , `` It is n't every day that we can announce that we will save lives . '' More than 500 lives were saved last year in Suffolk County , where police officers have been part of a pilot program since 2012 to carry naloxone , Schneiderman said . The antidote saved the life of Angie Ruhry 's son , Peter , in 2009 . Though he died 18 months later , Ruhry said `` Those 18 months were a gift . Anyone that 's lost a loved one knows that even one more day is a gift . '' She emphasized her support of the program , saying , `` People are dying and we have this powerful tool to save lives in the midst of the epidemic . ''
Evzio is an auto-injector for naloxone , which reverses effects of heroin overdose . It is injected into the muscle and does not require training , making it more user-friendly . New York state program puts naloxone and the training to use it in the hands of police . State attorney general : `` It is n't every day that we can announce that we will save lives ''