Louisville families, addiction recovery groups applauding FDA’s approval for over-the-counter Narcan

By Dakota Sherek and Molly Jett

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Local families and addiction recovery groups are applauding the decision to allow an overdose-reversing drug to be sold over the counter.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved selling the leading version of naloxone without a prescription, setting the overdose-reversing drug on course to become the first opioid treatment drug to be sold over the counter.

The approved nasal spray from Gaithersburg, Maryland-based Emergent BioSolutions is the best-known form of naloxone.

It can reverse overdoses of opioids, including street drugs such as heroin and fentanyl and prescription versions including oxycodone.