The opioid epidemic has had the country in a grip for years now, continuing to claim more and more lives. The Center for Disease Control reported that 2021 saw over 107,000 overdose deaths, an all time high for the US. In the newest attempt to combat the epidemic, the biopharmaceutical company Emergent Biosolutions announced they would be shipping Narcan, the medication that reduces or reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, to major retailers nationwide as an over the counter (or OTC) medicine. Narcan is effective at reversing overdoses of fentanyl, heroin, and other opioids. The medicine used to be only available through prescription but can now, following FDA approval, be made available to pharmacies nationwide including Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, and Rite-Aid. The price has been set at $44.19 a box, with some health experts arguing that the price needs to be lower or even free due to the intensity of the opioid epidemic (NBC).
This all follows a large push for the availability of Narcan by government and industry alike. Before this there have been Narcan vending machines and distribution boxes, as well as giveaways. There has also been more training for first responders to recognize the signs of a fentanyl overdose.The availability of OTC narcan provides more hope to those who need it during this epidemic. Emergent Biosolutions Senior VP Paul Williams, in a statement to NBC, said “The timing is right…particularly within the last two years with the number of opioid deaths significantly increasing.”
