Every day in 2021, 221 Americans died from opioid overdoses, the majority of which involved synthetic opioids like fentanyl; However, this month, a well-liked treatment for overdoses will be available in pharmacies.
Narcan, the brand name for the medication Naloxone, is a nasal splash that inverts a narcotic excess by joining to narcotic receptors and switching/obstructing the impacts of other narcotics. A person whose breathing has slowed or stopped can get back to normal breathing quickly with this device.
Many stores – like CVS, Ritual Guide and Walmart – will presently offer it over-the-counter interestingly and it will likewise be accessible for buy on the web.
In March, the FDA approved Narcan for use without a prescription, having previously been approved in 2015 only for prescription use.
There is concern that those who require the medication the most may not be able to pay for it. One in five of the two million non-elderly adults who suffer from opioid use disorder (OUD) do not have health insurance, making them particularly vulnerable due to limited access to treatment and care.
Some private insurance companies may no longer cover Narcan, while others may still. Narcan will now be available without a prescription. It will continue to be covered by some insurance companies, like Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, and state Medicaid programs, like those in California, Rhode Island, and Washington.
As the number of people dying from opioid overdoses continues to rise, opioid antidotes like Narcan are becoming increasingly accessible to the general public. In particular overdose-prone areas, some local governments have installed Narcan vending machines.
“Fake pills,” which are made to look like opioids like Vicodin or Oxycontin but are made with the stronger, more lethal synthetics, account for a significant portion of the number of deaths from opioid overdoses in the United States. Synthetic opioids like fentanyl, in particular, account for nearly 88% of all deaths from opioid overdoses.
The report pointed to some differences in the kinds of counterfeit drugs that people in different parts of the country were using. For instance, counterfeit Oxycodone was more prevalent in the Western United States, while counterfeit Xanax was more prevalent in the South.
Although it is challenging to control the distribution of these lethal drugs, there are some steps that can be taken to alleviate the issue.
For instance, it is suggested that only prescription-only, legitimate pills from a pharmacy be used. All things considered, specialists are likewise prescribing to utilize fentanyl test trips or have Narcan available consistently.
Education for young people is crucial because counterfeit pills are also being sold to younger people, including children.