What is Narcan? Opioid-overdose reversing drug, approved by FDA for sale without prescription

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 29 approved the over-the-counter sale of anti-narcotic Narcan nasal spray. This means that people in the United States will be able to buy Narcan without any need to show a prescription at any pharmacy counter.

Narcan is an anti-narcotic medication which quickly reverses the effects of opioid overdose. It is a standard medication used to treat opioid overdose.

The use of Narcan nasal spray in opioid dependent individuals may result in symptoms such as body aches, diarrhoea, increased heart rate (tachycardia), fever, runny nose, sneezing, sweating, yawning, nausea or vomiting, nervousness, restlessness or irritability, shivering or trembling, abdominal cramps, weakness and increased blood pressure.

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Narcan's over-the-counter sale: What does it mean?

It means that people in the United States will be able to buy the anti-narcotic drug from places such as drug stores, convenience stores, grocery stores and gas stations as well as online.

However, there remain concerns about the availability of the anti-narcotic drug during its switch from prescription to Over The Counter status.

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While addressing these concerns, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that it will work with "all stakeholders to help facilitate the continued availability of naloxone nasal spray products during the time needed to implement the Narcan switch from prescription to OTC status, which may take months".

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"We encourage the manufacturer to make accessibility to the product a priority by making it available as soon as possible and at an affordable price," FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf said in an official statement.

Narcan nasal spray was first approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2015 as a prescription drug. Last month, an advisory committee of FDA officials "voted unanimously" to recommend it for marketing without a prescription.

Drug overdose is a major health issue in the United States with over 100,000 annual deaths as per latest available data.

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