The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to give an opioid overdose antidote over-the-counter status could help as illicit fentanyl floods of the nation’s illegal drug market, but how helpful it will be could depend on how much it will cost.
The FDA’s decision means sales of Narcan nasal spray would soon be allowed at pharmacies, grocery stores, convenience stores, gas stations and online. Narcan, a naloxone product, is a medication that rapidly reverses the effects of opioid overdose. Naloxone is the standard treatment for an opioid overdose.
Emergent BioSolutions Inc., which makes Narcan, said that the nasal spray will be available on U.S. shelves and at online retailers by the late summer. The company said it will have to account for “manufacturing changes that will be implemented to support nonprescription packaging” and “supply chain modifications.” It has not yet said how much the drug will cost….