WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first nonprescription naloxone nasal spray, Narcan. The medication can reverse an opioid-related overdose. Narcan can soon be sold directly to consumers in places like drug stores, convenience stores, grocery stores, and gas stations, as well as online. Naloxone is increasingly being distributed to first responders and family members who may witness and respond to opioid overdoses.
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services says it’s a “critical tool to prevent fatal overdoses, connect more people to treatment for substance use disorder, and save lives.”
“We can prevent overdoses and save lives by making naloxone more accessible, and at the same time, we can ensure equitable access to essential health care,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said. “Today’s FDA action to allow access to naloxone without a prescription is another strong step forward in advancing HHS’s Overdose Prevention Strategy.”
HHS’s Overdose Prevention Strategy expands the scope of the crisis response.
Over the past year, the Biden-Harris Administration expanded harm reduction interventions, such as permitting the use of federal funding for local governments to “purchase naloxone, focusing on state development of naloxone saturation plans, issuing guidance aimed at making it easier for harm reduction programs to obtain and distribute naloxone to at-risk populations, and prioritizing the review of nonprescription naloxone applications as appropriate.”
The latest CDC overdose data shows a recent steady decrease or flattening of overdose reports.
The Biden-Harris Administration will work on continuing to connect people with addiction to treatment, expanding access to naloxone, and reducing the supply of illicit drugs like fentanyl.
TheU.S. Department of Health & Human Services says, “The availability of nonprescription and prescription naloxone could help to further increase its distribution and accessibility, potentially saving more lives and reducing the burden of opioid overdose on individuals, families, and communities.”
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Featured image courtesy of: Mark Oniffrey