The drug to reverse overdoses Narcan will soon be available for purchase over the counter. Narcan is available over-the counter. U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced this week that it had approved the product for use without prescription. The aim to reduce the number of opioid-related deaths as well as making it simpler for the public to get access to the life-saving drug.
It could be a long time before Narcan is on the pharmacy and supermarket shelves. The FDA estimates that it will take months to get through several regulatory hurdles.
However, Shari Conner of Change 4 the Kenai said she believes that having it available on the market will lessen stigma and will help Alaskans remain ready. Conner is the coordinator for the project for the local coalition which is a non-profit organization that aims to reduce the risk of drug abuse in the Kenai Peninsula.
“Really there is no way to protect yourself from an overdose within homes,” Conner said.
She added that anyone who gets an opiate-based prescription following an operation or procedure for dental care is able to access opiates at home. Being able to have Narcan available it’s equivalent to having an extinguisher for fire close by.
“As Alaskans, we have an emergency kit with items that we carry out fishing and camping,” Conner said. “It’s simply a precautionary thing, like anything else.”
Narcan has 4 milligrams of naloxone- a medicine which quickly reverses the adverse effects of an overdose of opioids.
It’s available in an nasal spray and, since 2015, is available on prescription. Presently, there exist Emergency kits available in Alaska in health clinics and libraries. In the Kenai Peninsula there are kits from Kenai Public Health and at the change 4 The Kenai Building, as an instance. Alaskans are able to locate emergency kits at fish processing facilities and other areas that are heavily trafficked, via Project Gabe. Many emergency service providers carry the medication along with them, along with those who carry the more potent Kloxxado that has an 8 milligram dose of Naloxone.
It’s been a crucial instrument as the state’s deaths from drug overdoses has risen dramatically. Alaska has seen the highest percentage growth of any state between 2020 until 2021, as per figures obtained from the Alaska Department of Health. One of the main causes has been the synthetic opioid fentanyl which is more potent than the other opioids.
Conner stated that there’s plenty to learn about the process by which over-the counter Narcan will be released.
However, she added that Wednesday’s approval is a step in the right direction.
“I believe we’re heading towards the correct direction certain,” she said. “I only wonder how much the price is going to become.”
Today, Narcan prescriptions are available in a 2-dose pack for less than $10 , if the drug is not covered under Medicaid and private health insurance. But if you buy it on the street these prices could be significantly more costly, health economists and advocates caution in particular since it’s the only available over-the counter drug to reverse overdoses the market.
Conner stated that her organization Change 4 the Kenai will be hosting the emergency Narcan kit-building workshop in the near future. They’re hoping to build further Project Gabe boxes across the community, and to ensure that Narcan as widespread as is possible.
