Experts say that when Narcan finally becomes available in stores later this year, the price could put the life-saving antidote out of reach for many.
Emergent BioSolutions said Thursday that it plans to price less than $50 for two doses of its opioid overdose drug.
Dr. Scott Hadland, an addiction expert at the Mass General for Children in Boston, said: “Often, the families I work with have chosen not to pay for this.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Narcan or naloxone over-the-counter last month. This approval means that in addition to drugstores, convenience stores, grocery stores and vending machines can sell rescue drugs.
This drug was previously only available by prescription, but in many states there are workarounds available directly from pharmacists.
Leslie Walker-Harding, Ph.D., dean of pediatrics at the University of Washington and chief academic officer of Seattle Children’s Hospital, believes it’s the equivalent of installing a defibrillator in a public space, and to remove barriers to access. , which states that this is important.
Narcan’s sub-$50 price tag, announced by Emergent BioSolutions, is below the drug’s current list price, which is about $130 for a two-dose box. good rexa group that tracks prescription drug prices.
That may be overkill, though.
The price tag “may seem like a small price to pay to save someone’s life, but at that price many people wouldn’t be able to afford it,” said Walker-Harding.
Dr. Michael Barnett, associate professor of health policy and management at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, said: “They’re also prioritizing paying for rent, food, and even opioids, and we want that to go down.”
Barnett said many opioid addicts live well below the federal poverty line.
a Report from KFFA nonprofit focused on health policy, found that 6 in 10 uninsured adults with opioid use disorders have low incomes. More than a third of them had incomes between 100% and 200% below the federal poverty line.
Over-the-counter Narcan will be packaged in two 4-milligram doses administered as a nasal spray, according to Emergent BioSolutions spokesperson Matt Hartwig. Both doses may be required to reverse an overdose. It will come in a larger box with images and detailed instructions to help people administer the drug more easily.
Most insurance companies now cover prescription versions of Narcan, leaving patients with out-of-pocket costs.
But over-the-counter drugs are generally not covered by insurance, meaning people have to pay full price, said Larry Levitt, executive vice president of health policy at the KFF.
“When drugs like Narcan are approved for over-the-counter sales, tensions are inevitable,” Levitt said. , is often more expensive for the patient if not covered by insurance.”
Emergent’s Hartwig said he didn’t know yet if insurers would cover the over-the-counter version of Narcan.
NBC News has reached out to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services about whether the federal government will cover the drug.
Even if insurance doesn’t cover it, Barnett said he hopes Narcan will still be available by prescription or can be paid for by voucher. is still available.
“The whole point of having Narkan is to protect the people using it,” Burnett said.
