The Food and Drug Administration has approved Narcan nasal spray for over-the-counter use, which can reverse opioid overdoses and save lives.
IN announcement FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf said Wednesday that the move addresses a “critical public health need” and will help expand access and reduce opioid overdose deaths in the country.
Narcan, administered through a nasal spray, is a fast-acting opioid antagonist that reverses the effects of opioids such as heroin, fentanyl, codeine, and OxyContin. The medicine binds to receptors in the nervous system, blocking or reversing the effects of opioids on the human body. It's prescribed when someone shows signs of overdose—like falling asleep, choking, or constricted pupils—and it's amazingly effective; one study found that 93.5% of people given naloxone experienced an overdose. Naloxone will not harm those who do not have opioids in their system, but it does not work on non-opioid medications.
“Naloxone, or Narcan in nasal spray form, is essentially the only option for treating opioid overdose outside of a medical setting,” Ryan Marino, a medical toxicologist, addiction medicine specialist and emergency physician at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, told BuzzFeed News. The drug naloxone is also available in an injectable form that can be used by health care providers. However, the FDA rule change allowing over-the-counter sales only applies to Narcan, not other naloxone formulas or dosages.
This medication will not treat addiction, prevent drug use, or help you complete a recovery program. “But at the end of the day, Narcan is the only thing that can save someone's life,” Marino said. “And no one can recover, no one can continue to do anything if they die.”
Narcan is currently available at pharmacies in most states without a prescription, but the product is typically sold without a prescription, and some states have additional restrictions that make it difficult to obtain.
The rule change will put Narcan directly on shelves. However, even with current regulations, naloxone is relatively accessible; its cost, which varies depending on the store and location, may be prohibitively highBut harm reduction organizations and even some city programs make medicines available free of charge.
While the change is “gradual,” Marino said it will also help reduce stigma and misconceptions associated with naloxone.
“People don't want Narcan in schools, people are concerned that it encourages drug use – that's not true,” he said. “I think people need to know that this is a life-saving antidote. This is like distributing EpiPens and defibrillators to the population. It's not something you'll ever want to use, but everyone should be glad it's available because the alternative would be much worse.”
