More than 645,000 people died from opioid overdoses, including prescription and illicit opioids, from 1999 to 2021, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
When given in a timely manner, naloxone can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, including heroin and fentanyl. This drug blocks the effects of opioids on the brain, restores normal breathing and prevents death.
Despite naloxone’s effectiveness, access to the treatment “remains limited in many communities,” according to a Walgreens release.
The company announced it would sell two-dose packs of Walgreens Brand Naloxone for $34.99.It’s about $10 cheaper than that Commercial brand drug “Narcan”, became the first non-prescription version of naloxone to win approval from the Food and Drug Administration last year. Previously, patients needed a prescription to obtain naloxone.
“This was a concerted decision to do everything we can to improve accessibility, not only in terms of quantity and availability, but also price,” said Walgreens’ Clinical Integrity Division. Senior Medical Director Dr. Priya Mammen told CNBC. interview.
The company said the launch of the non-prescription naloxone nasal spray is subject to FDA approval. recent approvals of the product.it is generic It is comparable to the over-the-counter Narcan that Walgreens currently offers in its stores.
Mammen hopes Walgreens will help reduce the stigma associated with drug overdoses and the use of naloxone.
This medicine “is not just for some people. It is a life-saving medicine that can be intervened on by anyone, at any age, at any time, and by making it available to families, individuals, and communities, they can help themselves.” It’s something that can be empowering and be part of the solution,” she said.
