April 21, 2023 — Emergent BioSolutions says it hopes the price of its over-the-counter nasal spray Narcan – an opioid overdose reversal drugs – shall be lower than $50 for one carton of two 4-milligram doses.
Emergent mentioned its purpose is to make the OTC retail value “constant” with the value the corporate fees public curiosity teams, which averages lower than $50 per bundle. However the precise retail value shall be set by particular person retailers, Emergent mentioned in a information launch.
The FDA authorized OTC Narcan on March 29, however Emergent didn’t present a value at the moment. Emergent mentioned it anticipates the drug shall be offered in shops and on-line by late summer season.
That $50 value can be lower than the corporate’s present wholesale acquisition value value of $125, Emergent mentioned. Nonetheless, the drug can be too costly for many individuals who would profit from it, well being specialists advised NBC Information.
“It’s unlikely that the majority of us will drop $40 to $50 on Narcan,” mentioned Michael Barnett, MD, affiliate professor of well being coverage and administration on the Harvard T.H. Chan Faculty of Public Well being. “They’re additionally prioritizing lease, meals, and in addition paying for opioids, which we would like them to lower.”
The drug is now obtainable by prescription and at no cost at public well being departments and neighborhood facilities. Some pharmacy chains make the drug obtainable with out prescription, however customers must ask a pharmacist to dispense it. Medical health insurance normally doesn’t cowl nonprescription medication, and it’s not recognized if an exception shall be made for Narcan.
“There’s an inevitable pressure when medication like Narcan are authorized for over-the-counter sale,” Larry Levitt, the manager vp for well being coverage at KFF, advised NBC Information. “These medication turn into extra accessible over-the-counter, but in addition paradoxically costlier for sufferers in lots of instances if insurance coverage doesn’t cowl them.”
It’s hoped Narcan will assist stem the variety of deadly opioid overdoses, estimated at 1000,000 per 12 months in the US.