Fact Check Team: Narcan now available over-the-counter in efforts to ease opioid overdose deaths
WASHINGTON (TND) — 221 people in the U.S. died each day of 2021 from an opioid overdose, most of which involve synthetic opioids like fentanyl; however, a popular overdose antidote is hitting drug store shelves this month.
Narcan, the brand name for the drug Naloxone, is a nasal spray that reverses an opioid overdose by attaching to opioid receptors and reversing/blocking the effects of other opioids. It can quickly restore normal breathing to a person whose breathing has slowed or stopped.
Many stores – like CVS, Rite Aid, and Walmart – will now offer it over-the-counter for the first time, and it will also be available for purchase online.
The FDA approved Narcan for use without prescription in March, after it received prior approval in 2015 for prescription use only.
“The price will be set by individual retailers, so the cost will vary depending on the location, but Emergent BioSolutions – the drugs manufacturer – suggests a price of $44.99 per kit, which includes two doses.”
There is concern that those who have the greatest need for access to the medication may not be able to afford it. Of the two million non-elderly adults with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), about one in five are uninsured, which makes them especially vulnerable because of limited access to treatment and care.
Since Narcan will now be available outside of prescriptions, some private insurance companies may no longer cover it, while some still may. Some insurance companies, like Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts as well as some state Medicaid programs – like California’s, Rhode Island’s, and Washington’s – have plans to continue covering it.
According to a recent CDC study, the number of overdose deaths from fake or counterfeit pills more than doubled from 2019 to 2021.
The increasingly public and widespread availability of opioid antidotes like Narcan – some local jurisdictions have been setting up vending machines for the drug in particularly overdose-dense areas – comes as deaths from opioid overdoses continue to climb.
In particular, synthetic opioids like fentanyl account for nearly 88% of opioid overdose deaths in the U.S., with the number of deaths from “fake pills,” which are manufactured to look like opioids like Vicodin or Oxycontin but are made with the stronger, deadlier synthetics, a significant percentage of that figure.
To that point, the majority of deaths were among people younger than 35 who were taking what they thought was Xanax or Oxycodone, and according to a recent CDC study, the number of overdose deaths from fake or counterfeit pills more than doubled from 2019 to 2021.
The report highlighted some geographic differences in the kinds of counterfeit drugs consumed in different regions of the country. For example, fake Oxycodone was found more frequently in the Western U.S., while fake Xanax was more common in the South.
While it is proving difficult to control the traffic of these deadly drugs, there are a few measures that can be taken to help the problem.
For example, it is recommended to only use legitimate pills from a pharmacy, obtained with a prescription. Even so, authorities are also recommending to use fentanyl test strips or have Narcan on hand at all times.
Fake pills are also being marketed to younger people – even children – so youth education is important.
If you or someone you know is in crisis or suffering from opioid addiction, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration hotline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) and/or the American Addiction Centers: 877-969-2116.