The opioid overdose antidote Narcan might be available over-the-counter in the approaching days, a move that is hoped to extend access to the lifesaving medication amid the country’s worsening opioid epidemic.
Emergent BioSolutions, which makes the drug, said Wednesday that shipments were on their technique to major retailers, including Walgreens, Walmart, Rite Aid and CVS. It may be that can be purchased online from some businesses this week.
Dr. Scott Hadland, an addiction specialist at Mass General for Children in Boston said the move to over-the-counter “will help to mainstream Narcan, to make it more normalized for people and their families to hold with them and have at home for safety, which is critical to reducing the rising variety of overdose deaths occurring nationally.”
The cost of the drug, nonetheless — $44.99 for a box of two doses — may put it out of reach for some.
“Unfortunately, for many individuals who live with addiction or wish to protect a loved one living with addiction, this cost might be too high,” Hadland said. “I do know, because I see this in my very own practice, wherein medications that cost this much are simply out of reach.”
Overdoses are the leading reason behind accidental death within the U.S. and the fourth-leading reason behind death overall within the country. In 2021, there have been greater than 107,000 overdose deaths, an all-time high, in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fentanyl, a strong synthetic opioid, was involved in greater than 71,000 of those deaths.
Narcan can quickly reverse overdoses from fentanyl and other opioids, including heroin and prescription painkillers.
It was previously prescription-only, although many states created workarounds that allowed people to get it directly from pharmacists. In lots of places, it is also available free at community centers, local health departments and needle-exchange programs.
The Food and Drug Administration’s approval of Narcan for over-the-counter use this 12 months means it could possibly be sold in much more places, including convenience stores, airports and even vending machines.
Emergent is shipping “several hundred thousand” boxes of Narcan to major retail chains in the primary week, followed by more boxes to smaller chains over September, said Paul Williams, a senior vice chairman. Any business that desires to supply the drug should purchase it directly through a wholesaler.
Along with being available on store shelves, the product might be available for orders online — necessary for individuals who don’t need to interact with other people to get the medication.
“The timing is true,” Williams said of the shift to over-the-counter use, “particularly inside the last two years with the variety of opioid deaths significantly increasing.”
Tricia Moriarty, a spokesperson, said Walmart could have over-the-counter Narcan in a few of its stores and online as soon as this weekend.
Walgreens will begin selling the over-the-counter version in a few of its retail stores on Sept. 5, followed by its entire fleet on Sept. 7, said Dr. Kevin Ban, its chief medical officer.
Narcan won’t be directly sold on Walgreens’ shelves, nonetheless. As an alternative, individuals who wish to buy it can need to select up a card from the pain management section and hand it to an worker, who will then supply the drug, Ban said. Walgreens has taken the same approach to other products, including Sudafed.
Heather Saunders, a postdoctoral fellow at this system on Medicaid and the Uninsured at KFF, a nonpartisan group that studies health policy issues, said that offering Narcan over-the-counter has the potential to cut back stigma around opioid use but that its price “raises concerns.”
Insurance, she said, typically doesn’t cover the associated fee of over-the-counter products.
“At about $45, its cost could also be too high for a lot of,” she said, “including family and friends who wish to hold Narcan as a precaution.”
Williams, of Emergent, said many individuals will still have the option to get Narcan free from community organizations and native health departments.
“The chance to have Narcan available in the shape of what retailers can provide, online and expanding that’s critically necessary,” he said.
