FDA approves over-the-counter naloxone opioid overdose reversal drug available without prescription

The FDA approves Narcan (naloxone) 4mg nasal spray for over-the-counter sale without a prescription, making the opioid overdose reversal drug available in drugstores, convenience stores, and grocery stores for the first time. The Biden administration, which had pushed for expanded naloxone access as central to its opioid strategy, calls it a landmark step in the overdose crisis. Naloxone can reverse a fentanyl overdose within minutes if administered quickly. The administration had also invested $167 billion in opioid response programs and expanded medication-assisted treatment. The OTC approval is directly linked to the subsequent 17% decline in overdose deaths, the largest annual decline in US history.