Over-The-Counter Narcan is a Great First Step, But There ’ s Still Work to Be Done

The opioid overdose epidemic, which caused 80,000 deaths in 2021, can often seem like an unrelenting tragedy, but on Wednesday, there was cause to celebrate. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it has approved Narcan, a nasal-spray form of the opioid-overdose-reversing drug naloxone, without a prescription over-the-counter. This is a major win, because Narcan works as first aid, and must typically be administered by someone else to an overdosing person. Over-the-counter Narcan could mean that more people have the medicine on hand during the crucial minutes of an overdose. At the same time, public health experts say that efforts to improve naloxone access cannot stop with over-the-counter access when it becomes available—which manufacturer Emergent BioSolutions projects will be in late summer. Going forward, they warn, two obstacles which have prevented people from buying Narcan in the past could remain barriers going forward: high cost and stigma against drug users. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] While Emergent BioSolutions has not yet commented on the price of over-the-counter Narcan, there’s reason to be wary that the drug could be costly: prescription Narcan can cost over $100 for two doses at some pharmacies, according to GoodRx. Chelsea Shover, an epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of California-Los Angeles notes that many of the people she’s provided Narcan to for free—including teenagers and p...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized News Team Source Type: news