Posts Tagged ‘naloxone’

FDA Approves Narcan For Over-The-Counter Purchase

Wednesday, March 29th, 2023

Per NPR:

The overdose-reversing drug Narcan could soon be available to buy over the counter without a prescription, the Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday.

The FDA’s approval of the nasal spray Narcan — the brand name for the drug naloxone — means the medication could be more widely available across the U.S. as the country continues to grapple with an opioid epidemic.

“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,” the FDA said in a statement.

Emergent BioSolutions, the drug company that produces Narcan, said on Wednesday that it hoped to make the nasal spray available on store shelves and at online retailers by late summer. It did not immediately say how much it would cost.

HVCS offers free Narcan trainings and kits. Talk to our Health Hub program for more information on free trainings near you.

“Today’s landmark FDA OTC approval for Narcan Nasal Spray marks a historic milestone as we have delivered on our commitment to make this important emergency treatment widely accessible, given the alarming rates of opioid overdoses occurring across the country,” Emergent BioSolutions CEO Robert G. Kramer said in a statement.

Some states and harm-reduction groups have offered naloxone for free to residents. But typically those who wanted to buy Narcan had to obtain it at a pharmacy with a prescription.

Public health experts, harm-reduction advocates and many politicians have argued that those barriers meant fewer people would get the life-saving medication they needed in time.

The FDA approval comes as the U.S. continues to see a staggering number of opioid-related deaths, driven in large part by the spread of synthetic opioids such as illicit fentanyl.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 101,751 reported fatal overdoses in the 12-month period ending in October.

“We can prevent overdoses and save lives by making naloxone more accessible, and at the same time, we can ensure equitable access to essential health care,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement.

The specific dose approved for over-the-counter sales is the 4 milligram (mg) naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray. Other formulations and dosages of the drug would still require a prescription, the FDA said.

The administration first approved Narcan nasal spray in 2015 as a prescription drug.

Naloxone Co-Payment Assistance Program Available from NYS

Tuesday, June 12th, 2018

As a result of the opioid epidemic, the Surgeon General issued an advisory to emphasize the importance of expanding the awareness and availability of naloxone. Opioid overdose deaths have been on a steady incline in New York State (NYS) and have increased by 180% from 2010 to 2016.1 Knowing how to use naloxone and keeping it within reach can save a life.

Within NYS there are over 2,100 pharmacies that can dispense naloxone with a standing order. Additionally, NYS has implemented the Naloxone Co-Payment Assistance Program, (N-CAP). N-CAP provides co-payment and cost-sharing assistance to people with prescription coverage as part of their health plan to cover co-payments and cost-sharing for naloxone up to $40, providing lower or no out of pocket costs.

Key elements of accessing naloxone at pharmacies include:

  • Individuals can get naloxone at a pharmacy with a standing order and do not need a prescription. They ask for naloxone at the pharmacy counter and present their insurance information and an N-CAP palm card.
  • Individuals are not required to enroll in N-CAP.
  • Individuals who cannot access naloxone through a pharmacy can access naloxone through registered opioid overdose prevention programs, including individuals using naloxone in the line of duty and people who are uninsured. For a directory of Opioid Overdose Prevention Programs, please click here.
  • Pharmacies eligible for co-payment reimbursement for naloxone must participate in the NYS AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP).
  • N-CAP promotional materials are available to order; we encourage you to display these and share them with your clients.

We play an important role in addressing this public health crisis. I am asking for your support to save lives from fatal opioid overdoses by encouraging people to carry naloxone. Thank you for the work you do to maintain the health of all New Yorkers.

If a pharmacy you work with is interested in a standing order, or have other questions, please contact: naloxonepharmacy@health.ny.gov.

NYS Announces New Program for Low- or No-Cost Naloxone Access

Monday, October 23rd, 2017

NCAP information

For individuals with prescription coverage through their health insurance plans, this program will cover the cost of co-payments for naloxone up to $40 so there are no or lower out-of-pocket expenses when accessing naloxone at participating pharmacies.  All Medicaid Managed Care Plans cover at least one formulation of naloxone, and the vast majority of private insurance plans also cover naloxone.

There are 2,000 pharmacies throughout the State who dispense naloxone with a physician standing order.  Individuals getting naloxone at these pharmacies do not need a prescription. There is no individual enrollment requirement to use N-CAP.  Maximizing pharmacy distribution increases access to naloxone.

For a directory of pharmacies with standing orders, please access the link below:

https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/aids/general/opioid_overdose_prevention/directories.htm

This directory is updated monthly.

Individuals who cannot access naloxone from pharmacies will continue to access naloxone through registered programs including individuals using naloxone in the line of duty and people who are uninsured.

Additional information regarding N-CAP can be found at:  www.health.ny.gov/overdose.

NYS Becomes 1st in Nation to Offer Low- or No-Cost Naloxone

Wednesday, August 9th, 2017

From a press release issued by Gov. Cuomo on Monday, August 7, 2017

GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES NO-COST OR LOWER-COST NALOXONE AVAILABLE AT PHARMACIES ACROSS NEW YORK

First-in-the-Nation Program Offers Co-Payment Assistance For Medicine to Reverse Opioid Overdoses Beginning August 9, 2017

Expands State’s Aggressive Efforts to Fight the Opioid Epidemic

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced a first-in-the-nation program to provide no-cost or lower-cost naloxone at pharmacies across New York. Beginning August 9, 2017, individuals with prescription health insurance coverage, including Medicaid and Medicare, will receive up to $40 in co-payment assistance, resulting in reduced cost or no cost for this lifesaving medicine. Uninsured individuals and individuals without prescription coverage will still be able to receive naloxone at no cost through New York’s network of registered opioid overdose prevention programs.

“This first-in-the-nation program will help put this lifesaving treatment in more hands and is one more prong in this administration’s efforts to battle heroin and opioid abuse,” Governor Cuomo said. “This is one more step toward a stronger, healthier New York for all.”

Naloxone is a medicine used to reverse opioid overdoses. Reducing the cost of this lifesaving medication builds on Governor Cuomo’s previous action to make naloxone available in pharmacies without a prescription which began in January 2016. Previously, New Yorkers could only receive naloxone with a prescription or through a registered opioid overdose prevention program.

As of August 9, 2017, New Yorkers can find co-payment information at pharmacy counters across the state and at: www.health.ny.gov/overdose. Individuals should provide this information to the pharmacist when asking for naloxone in order to receive it with no or lower out-of-pocket expense. The Naloxone Co-payment Assistance Program is funded by New York State’s Opioid Overdose Prevention Program.

Additionally, through New York’s network of registered opioid overdose prevention programs, uninsured individuals and individuals without prescription coverage will be able to receive naloxone at no cost. A full list of these programs is available here.

In the 2017 State Budget, Governor Cuomo invested over $200 million to fight the heroin and opioid epidemic. This unprecedented support is directed at prevention, treatment and recovery programs that address chemical dependency, expand residential service opportunities and promote public awareness and education.

Naloxone Saves Lives

Naloxone is a prescription medication used to reverse the effects of overdoses caused by heroin, prescription pain medication and other opioids. In 2014, state agencies began working together to develop a statewide program to train law enforcement personnel on how to administer naloxone. Since the trainings began, over 10,000 officers have been trained to administer the drug and 3,091 officers have been certified to train other officers.

Trained law enforcement officers across New York are saving lives with the naloxone they carry. Since April of 2014, 2,036 officers have administered naloxone to over 3,100 individuals, saving the lives of nearly 90 percent of the individuals that required assistance.

View a fact sheet on law enforcement naloxone training and usage, here.

New York State Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said, “Naloxone is very effective at reversing opioid overdoses. Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, New York State has taken comprehensive actions to stem the tide of opioid abuse, from increasing the number of treatment beds to making important health insurance reforms to eliminate barriers to accessing substance use services. The new copayment assistance program will make naloxone more available in communities across New York and save lives.”

New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez said, “By guaranteeing affordable Naloxone to all New Yorkers, we will save thousands of lives and help repair the damage done to our communities by the opioid epidemic. Saving lives is the ultimate goal of all of our prevention, treatment, and recovery initiatives, and with this latest effort, Governor Cuomo is once again establishing New York State as a national leader in the field of addiction care.”

Chair of the Senate Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse George Amedore said, “By increasing access to this effective remedy for drug overdoses, we are taking yet another step forward in combatting the heroin and opioid epidemic. I commend the Governor for removing barriers to help establish a stronger, healthier New York for generations.”

Chair of the Assembly Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Linda B. Rosenthal said, “New York’s communities are hard-struck by the heroin and opioid epidemic, and we must turn the tide by preventing more overdose deaths. Governor Cuomo’s plan to expand access to lifesaving naloxone through a new low-cost or no-cost co-payment system will help those struggling with this disease. By increasing access to Naloxone and cutting costs related to this lifesaving medication, New Yorkers in every corner of the state will be better equipped to save lives and help people receive the treatment they need. I look forward to working closely with the Administration to continue expanding access to overdose prevention and greater treatment options.”

Chair of the Senate Health Committee Kemp Hannon said, “The health and well-being of residents is our top priority. I look forward to working with the Governor to bring this treatment to our most vulnerable men and women, so that communities will be empowered to save the lives of thousands.”

Harm Reduction Coalition Medical Director Dr. Sharon Stancliff said, “This program will dramatically increase access to naloxone for people we haven’t easily reached. These include patients being treated for pain, loved ones of people returning from drug treatment or incarceration and people at risk in rural areas. This is a crisis and New York’s copayment assistance program adds to the solution.”

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