'A great first step:' SAFE Project applauds FDA approval of Narcan, says more work needed
On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Narcan to be sold over-the-counter (OTC). (7News)
ARLINGTON, Va. (7News) — On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration approved Narcan to be sold over-the-counter.
This drug was previously only available by prescription.
The Gaithersburg, Maryland-based company, Emergent BioSolutions, was the first company approved to allow Narcan — the first opioid overdose antidote— to be sold over-the-counter.
READ: FDA approves over-the-counter sale of lifesaving opioid drug Narcan
“My reaction is it is a great first step, but there is a lot of nothing things associated with this,” said Jeff Horowitz, chief executive officer of Safe Project.
Horowitz said that the nonprofit was created after the founders lost their son to an accidental opioid overdose.
“Sandy is number two in the Department of Defense, but he couldn’t save his son, and he learned so much in the process that these are smart people and if they don’t know this, we are not going to allow other families to struggle in this,” Horowitz said.
READ: Md. high schooler raises awareness on fentanyl dangers, now a finalist for national award
Horowitz says that while the approval of Narcan is a great first step, it only takes care of a small part of the solution.
"If someone wants to buy it off the counter then they need the money to do so and the confidence to go in there and not feel the shame or stigma that is out there,” Horowitz said.
The nonprofit details issues like access, pricing, and supply and demand as Emergent BioSolutions races against the clock to make enough supply.
“Stigma is a problem. Nalxone prevents the overdose, but we have so many things to work on, and people might throw their hands up and say, 'Oh we have naloxone now, we don’t have to worry about the opioid crisis,'" Horowitz said.
Horowitz says that Narcan should hit the shelves of local pharmacies by the end of summer.
