Narcan

A shiny circular pin on my purse reads “I CARRY NALOXONE,” proclaiming that I am ready to respond to an opioid overdose—an event that kills over 180 people every day in this country. That means when someone stops breathing, turns blue and isn’t responsive after an overdose, I can administer naloxone to reverse another tragedy. I am neither a medical professional nor a trained EMT. Anyone can reverse an overdose in an emergency, along with calling 911 and giving rescue breaths. We could all be carrying this miracle drug…

A lifesaving drug that can reverse an opioid overdose will be available on pharmacy shelves without a prescription this summer, a regulatory relaxation that experts herald as an important step in managing the U.S. opioid epidemic. Currently, naloxone is officially classified as prescription-only but is also available from pharmacists in states with a standing order—a directive designed to increase access to public health interventions such as annual flu shots—or a similar protocol. At participating pharmacies, an…

The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration issued a warning on Mar. 21, 2023, about an increase in trafficking of fentanyl adulterated with xylazine, which can increase the risk of overdosing on an already deadly drug. Xylazine is increasingly appearing within the U.S. supply of illicit opioids like fentanyl and heroin. The agency noted that it has seized mixtures of xylazine and fentanyl in 48 of 50…

A highly effective, fast-acting treatment for opioid overdoses will soon be available in the U.S. over-the-counter. On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration approved an OTC version of Narcan, a nasal spray formulation of naloxone developed by the company Emergent BioSolutions. Drug policy experts and harm reduction advocates have long called for OTC naloxone, but it’s expected to take months for the switch to be completed and other key details—particularly pricing—are still unknown at this time.Lions on Oxytocin are…

The Food and Drug Administration's independent advisors on Wednesday unanimously recommended over-the-counter use of the nasal spray Narcan to reverse opioid overdoses, which would significantly expand access to the life-saving treatment. Emergent BioSolutions' Narcan is the most commonly sold treatment for opioid overdoses. The FDA is expected to make a decision by March 29 on whether to allow people to buy the four milligram nasal spray without a prescription. The agency is not required to accept its advisors…

Image: Shutterstock (Shutterstock)An over-the-counter nasal spray meant to prevent fatal opioid overdoses could reach shelves early next year. The Food and Drug Administration has reportedly fast-tracked the approval process of an OTC naloxone spray from Emergent BioSolutions, the developers of Narcan. The FDA is expected to make a decision on its approval by late March 2023.Naloxone is an opioid antagonist, meaning it prevents other opioids from activating the opioid receptors in our cells. It can quickly reverse the…

Emergent BioSolutions Inc., maker of Narcan, a nasal-spray form of naloxone, said Tuesday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration fast-tracked an application it submitted for an over-the-counter version of its widely used opioid-reversal nasal spray. The company said it had been working on the application for several months. Emergent said the FDA’s priority review gives the drug an expected approval date of March 29, 2023, putting it first in line for approval ahead of competitors that have…

One of the biggest addiction-drug makers is set to snatch up the owner of the country’s bestselling overdose-reversal drug. U.K.-based Indivior PLC said it would pay $20 per share, or about $145 million, to purchase Narcan owner Opiant Pharmaceuticals Inc. Indivior will pay an additional $8 per share contingent on Opiant’s ability to gain approvals and revenue for an overdose-reversal medication in late-stage development, for a…