Over-the-counter access to naloxone supported

Frank Andruscavage, Republican & Herald, Pottsville, Pa.
·3 min read

Mar. 3—A recommendation by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel to allow off-the-shelf purchases of naloxone would save many lives, one Schuylkill County police officer believes.

A pharmacist, meanwhile, cautions that the product, if unattended on store shelves, would be a target for theft and that insurance providers are less likely to cover over-the-counter drugs.

Minersville police Patrolman Jeffrey Bowers, the department's narcotics officer, thinks allowing easier purchase of naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, is a good idea. He said people are often reluctant to approach a pharmacist because it exposes their substance abuse addiction or association with those fighting it.

"There is a stigma behind it," Bowers said. "People don't want to be thought of that way. That makes them reluctant to buy it."

Naloxone is a life-saving drug used to counteract opioid overdoses, including from fentanyl, which is responsible for countless overdose deaths throughout the United States. The highly addictive synthetic opioid is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Two milligrams, small enough to fit on the tip of a pencil, is considered a potentially lethal dose.

Naloxone has been available at pharmacies in Pennsylvania for years without a prescription following a series of standing orders by the state Department of Health, but it has to be provided by a pharmacist or pharmacy technician. It is the same with the head cold and sinus medicine Sudafed, for example, which has an active ingredient, pseudoephedrine, that is similar to the stimulant amphetamine and can be addictive.

Naloxone has become an integral part of treatment by EMS and law enforcement personnel to combat opioid poisoning, but it is also being kept handy by drug abusers or families of abusers in the event of an overdose.

It's important for anyone these days, Bowers believes.

"There are a lot of accidental exposures, such as to law enforcement, EMS and children," he said. "It's a lifesaver. We've (Minersville officers) used it many times, and we know it works."

Pharmacist Karen Flynn, owner of Morris Drugs in Mahanoy City, said allowing the sale of Narcan over the counter could lead to theft. A two-pack of Narcan nasal spray costs $70 to $80.

With that, some pharmacies may keep it secured and require an employee to access it. She cited ink cartridges for computer printers as another small but expensive product handled that way.

Flynn said people must also consider that most health insurances will not cover over-the-counter drugs, so it may be in their best interest to formally go through a pharmacist.

"I have no problem with the idea, but these other things will have to be considered," she said.

Elaine Gilbert, administrator for the Schuylkill County Drug and Alcohol Council, notes that Narcan is available free of charge by contacting the council at 570-621-2890.

"We want to make sure people have access, and this makes that access a little easier," Gilbert said. "The bottom line is to make it accessible."

Otherwise, she has mixed feelings about over-the-counter sales.

"Buying it over the counter makes access easier," she said. "But I have a concern about the cost."

The advisory panel made the recommendation to the FDA on Feb. 18. The administration is expected to make a decision no later than March 29.

The New York Times has reported that, with the FDA approval, naloxone could be available "in vending machines, schools, convenience shops, big box stores and supermarkets by summer."