The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given the green light for Narcan, a nasal spray containing 4 milligrams of naloxone hydrochloride, to be sold over-the-counter without a prescription. This makes it the first ever naloxone product to be approved for non-prescription use. The medication naloxone is widely known to provide quick relief from the effects of an opioid overdose, making it the go-to treatment for such cases. Today’s decision will make it possible for this life-saving medication to be accessible directly to consumers from various outlets such as drug stores, convenience stores, grocery stores, gas stations, and also through online channels.

Since 2018, Voyatek has supported Virginia’s Framework for Addiction Analysis and Community Transformation (FAACT), a regional collaborative approach to reduce Opioid deaths and substance use across the state that has helped Virginia move into the bottom 40% of states ranked by overdose deaths; with the 2022 results showing a statistically significant decrease in the number of fatal cases. Even before today’s FDA OTC approval, Virginia started piloting Narcan Vending machines to increase the Narcan distribution footprint in South-Western Virginia as part of their SOR funded activities. Virginia was able to pick its South-Western region for the vending machines thanks to Voyatek’s support to produce Virginia’s first comprehensive resource map displaying where overdoses occur compared to existing treatment facilities.

Read the full FDA press release HERE.