Walgreens said the generic version of Narcan will cost $34.99.
walgreens boots alliance announced On Wednesday, the company announced it plans to sell its own generic version of the overdose-reversing drug Narcan.
Narcan is administered as a nasal spray, and the drug’s active ingredient, naloxone, can quickly restore breathing if given in a timely manner if you are experiencing an opioid overdose.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration in March 2023 approved Narcan will be distributed without a prescription — a breakthrough that advocates say will make it easier to save lives as the nation’s opioid epidemic continues.
The nasal spray will be available in pharmacies, drugstores, grocery stores, and online retailers in the fall of 2023, with a suggested price of $44.99 for a two-dose box.
Walgreens announced that the over-the-counter version will be called Walgreens Brand Naloxone HCI Nasal Spray and will cost $34.99.
Dr. Priya Mammen, an emergency physician and Walgreens’ senior medical director of clinical integrity, told ABC News that the decision to launch a generic version was to increase access to the drug.
“It was a very smart decision to increase the volume of products that are currently allowed to be sold in stores and not just from a single brand source,” she said. “And its price is $34.99, which is about $10 less than the branded product. So it definitely improves access, improves availability, and hopefully improves affordability. That’s why we’re trying to get as many people as possible.” Here are three ways to make sure we reach the right people.” ”
The pharmacy says the generic version is currently available online and will be available in stores nationwide by the end of this month. It is found in the pain passage.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention To tell Naloxone is safe for bystanders to administer to someone they think is experiencing an overdose, and will not harm the user if it turns out they are not experiencing an overdose.
Harm reduction groups and other experts Easier access to naloxonestates that over-the-counter status means people do not need to consult a pharmacist to purchase the drug, thereby lowering barriers to access and reducing stigma.
Mammen said making the drug available directly in the aisle could reduce the stigma around naloxone by giving people the confidence to buy it at a pharmacy like any other drug. .
“It changes the idea that just having it is some kind of scarlet letter,” she said. “It’s not. It’s just as effective and as docile as anything else you have in your first aid kit, and that’s the goal.”
The United States has been battling a drug overdose epidemic for years. There will be an estimated 107,543 drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2023, although lower than the 111,029 deaths recorded in 2022, according to preliminary data from the CDC released Wednesday. This is a high number.
The majority of these deaths were due to opioids, especially synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, which is 50 times more potent than heroin. 100 times more potent than morphine.
