Drug overdose medication will become OTC.
Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved selling Naloxone without a prescription.
This sets this overdose-reversing drug on course to become the first opioid treatment drug to be sold over the counter.
Advocates believe it’s important to get naloxone to the people who are most likely to be around overdoses.
The drug is also distributed by community organizations that serve people who use drugs.
It’s not clear yet whether insurers will continue to cover it as a prescription drug if it’s available over the counter.
Some people are concerned about getting naloxone at pharmacies. They are worried that their insurers will know they’re getting it. Making naloxone available over the counter won’t solve the overdose crisis.
It will help the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services tough. It will cover prescription naloxone for people on the government insurance programs.
One key thing people need to be reminded of:
Call an ambulance for the person receiving naloxone after it’s been administered.