CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The FDA has now approved the overdose-reversal medication, Naloxone for over-the-counter distribution, and many West Virginia officials are pleased by the move.
The 4 milligram (mg) Narcan nasal spray is the first kind of Naloxone product to receive approval for consumer-use without a prescription.
The medication that enables the rapid reversal of the effects of opioid overdoses will soon be sold at drug stores, grocery, and convenience stores nationwide.
While the West Virginia Office of Drug Control Policy has been supplying Narcan to the state since 2020 through campaigns such as Save a Life Day among other naloxone distribution events, along with getting it to the hands of law enforcement officers and first responders, state health officer Dr. Matthew Christiansen said the FDA’s decision will now make it more accessible than ever.
“This is an important step in making Naloxone much more available to people who need it when they need it,” Christiansen told Metro News Wednesday.
He went on to say that such accessibility is crucial in saving more lives, especially because many overdoses are accidental.
“We know that many people who overdose don’t do it on purpose, it’s largely an accidental event, even though the drugs they are taking are incredibly dangerous and we try to council people on how dangerous they are and how unpredictable they are,” Christiansen said.
Senator Shelley Moore Capito said the accessibility of the drug has never been more timely.
“It’s never been more important to adopt opioid overdose prevention and reversal strategies on a wide-scale,” Capito posted on social media Wednesday following the announcement.
Capito, along with Senator Joe Manchin joined a bipartisan, bicameral effort to make naloxone available for consumer-use last year.
Manchin said in a statement that the need for the FDA’s over-the-counter approval was highly great in West Virginia’s fight against opioid use.
“Given the enormous scale of need, it has never been more important to adopt opioid overdose prevention and reversal strategies on a wide scale. Naloxone is an immeasurably valuable resource for our fight against the drug epidemic, and it is proven to be safe and effective for public use. I’m thrilled to see the FDA take this meaningful action to make naloxone available over-the-counter, which helps reduce stigma and encourages the widespread use of this critical medication during emergencies. Today’s decision is a huge step in the right direction to make affordable Narcan accessible for every West Virginian and American, and it will save lives,” Manchin said.
Governor Jim Justice, also pleased with the FDA’s decision to make it more accessible, said it will only help to save more lives.
“To make this more available, more present in schools, churches, or wherever it may be, this just saves lives, that’s all there is to it,” Justice said.
According to the FDA, over 101,750 fatal overdoses were reported last year alone, primarily from synthetic opioids such as Fentanyl. The CDC determined overdoses claimed the lives of over 1,417 West Virginians in 2021.
However, despite the need for continued accessibility of naloxone, especially in states like West Virginia that have been the hardest hit from the opioid crisis, Christiansen said the life-saving drug is still highly stigmatized.
“There is still a lot of stigma with picking up naloxone, people judge other people for picking up naloxone, even when it’s not for them, it might be for a family member or a friend, it might be for their son or daughter who’s dealing with addiction,” said Christiansen.
However, he hopes the increased availability of the product will help to reduce the stigma, adding that more naloxone brands are expected to be placed over-the-counter within the next couple of years.
While Christiansen was unsure of the potential price of over-the-counter Narcan, he expects it to be set at a competitive cost on the market as other brands become available. He said it’s also very easy to administer to someone who’s overdosing.
“It’s very simple, it’s just like using a nasal spray for allergies, it goes in the nose, you spray it, and it delivers a consistent dose of the medication,” he said.
Christiansen reminded that Narcan and other forms of naloxone are not opioids in themselves, and they are only effective on people who are overdosing.
The FDA says it may take months for Narcan to switch from prescription to over-the-counter form, but that they will work with stakeholders to facilitate its availability.