Special Issue: Narcan Available Soon in Pharmacies Across the U.S. (with audio)
Special Issue: Narcan Available Soon in Pharmacies Across the U.S. (with audio)
Manufacturer has begun shipping supplies
Occasionally a topic is so important that I send out a special issue of Musings, with audio, to paid and free subscribers. Please consider sharing this issue personally and through social media so more people can learn about Narcan and how it can save lives.
In response to the vital role naloxone (Narcan) has in saving lives, shipments of the medication to drug stores across the U.S. have begun. People will soon be able to purchase naloxone at their neighborhood pharmacy without a prescription. It will also be available from online retailers.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved 4-milligram doses of Narcan naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for over-the-counter (OTC) use. (It did not approve an OTC injectable form.) The drug is already available without a prescription in Canada, but distribution is uneven, with not all pharmacies keeping naloxone in stock, only ordering it when someone requests a kit.
Why this news is significant
As I wrote in my review of the book Overdose; Heartbreak and Hope in Canada's Opioid Crisis, we need more readily available doses of naloxone in our homes and on the streets. We need it to be available so that anyone can administer it if they come across someone who may have overdosed on an opioid. Time is of the essence in these situations. Calling 9-1-1 may be delayed if people fear being reported to the authorities. And if someone does call emergency services, it may be too late by the time the emergency professionals arrive.
“It’ll save people’s lives.”
It was getting easier to get hold of naloxone, but the system was not consistent among all states. The FDA approval that allowed the medication to be sold to anyone without a prescription will make it easier. Walgreens Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kevin Ban, was quoted in a CNN article saying, “We think really everyone should be thinking about putting this into their first aid kit,” he said. “It’s really unlimited in terms of the folks who should make sure that they get some naloxone in the off chance that they come across someone who was experiencing an overdose. This is a way to reverse that overdose. It’ll save people’s lives.”
According to addiction specialist Dr. Scott Hadland, who was interviewed for an NBC article, this “will help to mainstream Narcan, to make it more normalized for people and their families to carry with them and have at home for safety, which is critical to reducing the rising number of overdose deaths occurring nationally.”
“Some state Medicaid programs have already announced that they will cover Narcan when it becomes available over the counter.”
It won’t be free and that could be problematic
When the FDA first announced that naloxone would be available without a prescription, many people rejoiced. But then the reality of cost set in. Most health insurance companies do not provide coverage for OTC drugs. Given that the manufacturer, Emergent BioSolutions, suggests a retail price of $44.99 for a two-dose box of Narcan, this may be out of reach for people on limited budgets and the unhoused.
There is some hope, though. According to the New York Times, “Some state Medicaid programs have already announced that they will cover Narcan when it becomes available over the counter. Those states include Missouri, California, Massachusetts, Washington, Rhode Island and Oregon.”
Another naloxone product is coming to market
Right now, the words Narcan and naloxone are synonymous, much like Kleenex and facial tissue. But in July of this year, the FDA approved another nasal spray naloxone, RiVive, manufactured by Harm Reduction Therapeutics, a non-profit company. Beginning early next year, they aim to sell their product for $36 per two-pack.
Hopefully, this means other companies will follow, making prices more competitive.
How it will be sold
Selling OTC Narcan might be challenging for drug store owners. First is the stigma surrounding buying the product, and then there is the concern about theft. They also don’t want people to spend time searching for the medication. So, where you find it will differ between stores.
Rite Aid, for example, says they will stock Narcan in the pain care aisle; CVS says it will be available at the counter and the cash registers. Walgreens will make special cards available on the shelves rather than the product to limit theft. Customers would pick up the card as they would the product and bring it to the cash register or pharmacy counter to exchange for the medication.
There is still much to be done
Getting Narcan to the stores where people can access it is a good step among many that we need to address the opioid crisis. It’s not the solution and people shouldn’t think that it is. We need to address the problem that drives the need for Narcan. Otherwise, it’s like bailing out an overflowing bathtub but not turning off the tap.
What do you think we can do to help turn the tide of the opioid crisis. Leave your comment below. Let’s get a conversation going.