In an effort to combat a symptom and not the root problem, a key FDA committee voted unanimously to make NARCAN, a drug used for decades to prevent overdoses from opioids and fentanyl, available over-the-counter, NBC News reports. The final decision by the agency on a nasal spray version of the drug is expected by the end of March.
More than 100,000 people in the US died of accidental overdoses in 2021, making it the top cause of accidental death in the nation, topping automobile accidents. The move is designed to take away some of the difficulty to and stigma with getting the drug. “For the sake of the public and saving lives, I believe this medication should be available over the counter as soon as possible,” Dr. Katalin Roth, a professor of medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, said following the vote.
Also known by the generic name naloxone, NARCAN was available only by prescription previously, and pharmacies frequently did not stock the drug even if the patient had a prescription. However, many states had implemented programs to work around the federal distribution restrictions so individuals could get the drug, like distributing it through community health centers.