Narcan now available over-the-counter

(ABC 6 News) – The FDA has approved the over-the-counter sale of Narcan, making it the first opioid treatment drug to be sold over the counter. Narcan, the medicine that treats an opioid overdose wasn’t easily accessible to everyone. First responders typically use it in drug overdoses.

Now that it has been made legal over the counter, people can purchase the lifesaving drug at convenience stores, supermarkets as well as online.

According to the associated press drug overdoses kill roughly 100 thousand people per year and a majority of them are linked to fentanyl.

Alicia House is the executive director for Steve Rummler Hope Network. The network distributes Narcan to people as well as educates them on the opioid antidote. She says this should not be a cure-all for the nationwide crisis, but it’s a step in the right direction.

“Having it over the counter is really just going to take away some of those barriers of having to have that conversation having to hope, having to hope that you’re in a community that offers it, having to hope that you have a pharmacist that’s willing to do it. And this way you just kind of take down all that red tape,” said House.

Before the FDA’s decision this week pharmacies could sell Narcan without a prescription.

It’s not clear if insurance will still cover it now that it’s sold over the counter. Two doses of Narcan costs 40 to 50 dollars.