Over the Counter (OTC) NALOXONE
Overview
Both 3-mg and 4-mg formulations of naloxone (brand names RiVive, Narcan) are now approved by the Food and Drug Administration for over the counter (OTC) purchase and sale. Naloxone will be available for sale in pharmacies, supermarkets, convenience stores, gas stations and through other retail locations. The estimated selling price is expected to be $49.99.
OTC approval for naloxone is a step towards expanding accessibility of naloxone and addressing the opioid public health crisis. Not only will naloxone access and visibility increase, the transition to over the counter should help reduce stigma surrounding its use. The resources below were developed by our R2P research team in collaboration with pharmacy professionals.
The goal of R2P is to promote harm reduction and improve naloxone access in communities as well as support pharmacists in their role. With the transition to OTC naloxone want to ensure that all options for naloxone accessibility are made known to both pharmacists and customers. The resources were created by public health researchers, not the naloxone manufacturers. We will update this page as new information such as pricing is made public and as new resources are generated. We welcome feedback on the materials and would be glad to support requests for TA from pharmacies, health departments and community organizations.
