GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration could be making a decision to increase access to an overdose antidote in the next year.
We asked local professionals for their opinion and recommendations surrounding this potential change.
The FDA is considering putting Narcan on the shelf at your local pharmacy.
Narcan is already widely available for those willing to speak to a pharmacist to request a dose.
This decision would remove the pharmacist’s involvement.
“There’s sometimes a stigma associated with having to ask for something to a pharmacist and we never want there to be a barrier,” said Dr. Ashok Rai, president and CEO of Prevea Health.
In Northeast Wisconsin, prices for two four-milligram nasal sprays start at $41.62.
Rai added that accessibility is key.
“Hopefully, having it more affordable and in more places around our general public will prevent bad things from happening to good people,” Rai said.
He said there is a balance between accessibility and education but supports the possible move to make Narcan more easily accessible.
“I think, what we’re going to have to do in the medical community is make sure that we do an even better job of educating on the use of it. When to use it, how to use it,” said Rai.
Medical professionals aim to reduce the stigma surrounding people with Narcan on hand having addiction struggles or experimenting with drugs.
Some may be critical that easy access to reversal measures may encourage drug use.
Jason Latva, executive director of the Jackie Nitschke Center, disagreed.
“I don’t necessarily think the access to it is going to increase the experimentation knowing, ‘well if I have this, at least I won’t die.’ I don’t think that would be the outcome,” Latva said.
Latva expressed concern with the rise of substances being tainted with fentanyl, a deadly additive in illegal drugs.
“If I was a drug user right now using any drug, I would probably wanna have Narcan just in case,” added Latva.
Experts see the potential increase in access to Narcan as a positive, understanding that there is no evidence of significant adverse reactions to the antidote.
