On March 29th, 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Narcan, 4 milligram (mg) naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray for over-the-counter (OTC), nonprescription, use – the first naloxone product approved for use without a prescription. Naloxone is a medication that rapidly reverses the effects of opioid overdose and is the standard treatment for opioid overdose. The FDA’s action paves the way for the life-saving medication to reverse an opioid overdose to be sold directly to consumers in places like drug stores, convenience stores, grocery stores and gas stations, as well as online.
EmpiRx Health Chief Pharmacy Officer Polina Kogan, RPH, PharmD, and Tzivia Gutman, PharmD Candidate, share their perspectives on the impact that this decision will have on patients, including its cost implications and its potential impact on the opioid epidemic.
