FDA Takes First Step in Making NARCAN Available Over the Counter

As of Tuesday, certain naloxone products, like NARCAN, have been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and determined to be safe enough to be sold over the counter in the near future.

“Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the approval of certain non-prescription naloxone hydrochloride drugs that may help expedite the development and approval of certain non-prescription naloxone drug products, including through certain naloxone switching. “We have issued a Federal Register notice regarding the safety and efficacy of salt drugs, changing the drug from prescription status to non-prescription status,” the FDA statement said.

For those who don’t know, NARCAN is basically a nasal spray that acts as a kind of anti-opiate. Naloxone is used together with buprenorphine in the drug Suboxone, which is used to treat opiate withdrawal symptoms. The main difference with NARCAN is that it is itself a relatively high-dose naloxone with no abuse potential on its own.

“Naloxone is a drug that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose. It is an opioid antagonist, which means it attaches to opioid receptors and reverses and blocks the effects of other opioids. It can quickly restore normal breathing if an opioid overdose causes slowed or stopped breathing, but naloxone is ineffective in people who do not have opioids in their body. , is not a cure for opioid use disorders.” – Excerpt from the National Institutes of Health website.

At this time, you don’t necessarily need a prescription to get NARCAN, but in most cases you have to get it directly from your pharmacist, which can be very expensive.I got 4 free doses with this programbut the point is that most addicts don’t have the regular access to NARCAN they need.

“Today’s actions support our efforts to address the opioid overdose crisis by helping expand access to naloxone,” said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, MD. . Strategic focus to act as quickly as possible. ”

NARCAN is not yet freely available, according to the FDA, but it is an important first step toward reducing the drug-related deaths of 100,306 US citizens. Overdose 12 months until April 2021.

“This preliminary evaluation is intended to facilitate the development and approval of over-the-counter naloxone products. , does not mandate an immediate effective switch to over-the-counter/over-the-counter (OTC) naloxone,” the FDA said.

If you or a loved one uses opiates, carrying a NARCAN is absolutely necessary. Below is a list of signs she may be experiencing an opiate overdose by her official NARCAN. website:

• unusual drowsiness or unresponsiveness
• slowed or absent breathing
• slow heartbeat or low blood pressure
• Cold and sticky skin
• students are small
• blue nails and lips

If someone is exhibiting these symptoms, simply point the NARCAN nasal plunger to that person’s nose and press the plunger to release the naloxone. Two doses may be required, especially if more potent opiates like fentanyl are involved.

Trust me when I say I absolutely know people who are opiate free and secretly using opiates. Several isolated incidents have been linked to opiates like cocaine and cannabis. Carrying a NARCAN can save the lives of loved ones and strangers.