The news today allows anyone, in any state, to purchase Narcan at their local CVS or Walgreens. But will the cost of the OTC Narcan be a barrier to getting the Narcan out where it needs to be – in the pockets of the average person? Narcan saves lives, but only for people who have easy access to it for carrying it on their person, in their car, in their house, and in the workplace. We have been providing Narcan to our region in Central NY along with a Narcan Training Video, free for anyone who visits our site.
Generic naloxone can cost between $20.00 and $40.00 per dose, while Narcan can cost around $130.00 to $140.00 for a kit that includes two doses. The kit we distribute through our Central NY Region Addiction Resource Center (pictured below) is FREE and without a prescription for NY State residents.
Drug overdose persists as a major public health issue in the United States, with more than 101,750 reported fatal overdoses occurring in the 12-month period ending in October 2022, primarily driven by synthetic opioids like illicit fentanyl.
According to the FDA, “Today’s action paves the way for the life-saving medication to reverse an opioid overdose to be sold directly to consumers in places like drug stores, convenience stores, grocery stores, and gas stations, as well as online.”
However, it could take months to get naloxone into the pharmacy as the switch from prescription Narcan is made to OTC Status. Other formulations and dosages of naloxone will remain available by prescription only. Our link to the Narcan kit and training will remain available and was funded through the State Opioid Response (SOR) Grant awarded to our SOR network of partners.
By scanning QR code below as shown, the link will direct you to a private means of mailing one to your home. It will arrive in a discrete, unmarked package within a few days of ordering. There is no limit on the number of times you can place an order for a kit that arrives with everything you need, including step-by-step visual directions on use.
Source: FDA.gov