OTC Narcan
-
https://reason.com/2023/03/29/fda-will-finally-let-you-get-naloxone-over-the-counter/
On March 29, the FDA approved Narcan for sale over the counter. The decision is a welcome, but long overdue, change in drug policy.
Known as an opioid antagonist, naloxone blocks the effects of opioids by binding to the brain's opioid receptors. This means it can actually stop and reverse the effects of an overdose, restoring consciousness and normal breathing, before the recipient dies. But the drug has no effect on people who don't have opioids in their system, meaning it can be used safely without worrying about direct side effects. (While highly effective, it's not a silver bullet: Naloxone works for up to 90 minutes, but opioids remain in the body longer, so naloxone could wear off while a dangerous amount of opioids is still present, requiring further doses.)
In 2021, more than 100,000 Americans died of opioid overdoses; a majority of those resulted from synthetics like fentanyl, which is significantly more potent than morphine or heroin and is often mixed into black-market products. Prior to the FDA's decision, all 50 states and the District of Columbia had laws expanding access to naloxone, but each case still required a pharmacist as part of the transaction.
Naloxone could be a literal lifesaver for any opioid user, and any government action that increases its availability is a net positive. At the same time, it's worth wondering why the FDA's decision took so long and how many lives could have been saved in the process.
This is a good thing. Naloxone is a harmless antidote to an opioid overdose...unless you're chronically addicted. Then it induces withdrawal...Just. Like. That.
Also, intravenous naloxone only lasts about 45-60 minutes, so a repeat administration might be necessary. I imagine the intranasal route has similar pharmacodynamics. I have seen more than a few patients get "renarcotized" because the naloxone has worn off, but the longer-acting opioid (heroin, morphine) has not.
"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08
The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.
-
Our approach to addiction and overdose has always been far too punitive. Dead people cannot rehabilitate, and I know a pretty good number of people who have beat opioid addiction. I’m just lucky I never succumbed to it, but I was never an addictive personality no matter how much I liked them.
-
https://reason.com/2023/03/29/fda-will-finally-let-you-get-naloxone-over-the-counter/
On March 29, the FDA approved Narcan for sale over the counter. The decision is a welcome, but long overdue, change in drug policy.
Known as an opioid antagonist, naloxone blocks the effects of opioids by binding to the brain's opioid receptors. This means it can actually stop and reverse the effects of an overdose, restoring consciousness and normal breathing, before the recipient dies. But the drug has no effect on people who don't have opioids in their system, meaning it can be used safely without worrying about direct side effects. (While highly effective, it's not a silver bullet: Naloxone works for up to 90 minutes, but opioids remain in the body longer, so naloxone could wear off while a dangerous amount of opioids is still present, requiring further doses.)
In 2021, more than 100,000 Americans died of opioid overdoses; a majority of those resulted from synthetics like fentanyl, which is significantly more potent than morphine or heroin and is often mixed into black-market products. Prior to the FDA's decision, all 50 states and the District of Columbia had laws expanding access to naloxone, but each case still required a pharmacist as part of the transaction.
Naloxone could be a literal lifesaver for any opioid user, and any government action that increases its availability is a net positive. At the same time, it's worth wondering why the FDA's decision took so long and how many lives could have been saved in the process.
This is a good thing. Naloxone is a harmless antidote to an opioid overdose...unless you're chronically addicted. Then it induces withdrawal...Just. Like. That.
Also, intravenous naloxone only lasts about 45-60 minutes, so a repeat administration might be necessary. I imagine the intranasal route has similar pharmacodynamics. I have seen more than a few patients get "renarcotized" because the naloxone has worn off, but the longer-acting opioid (heroin, morphine) has not.
@George-K said in OTC Narcan:
https://reason.com/2023/03/29/fda-will-finally-let-you-get-naloxone-over-the-counter/
…
This is a good thing.+1
