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GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Today, Emergent BioSolutions announced NARCAN Naloxone HCl Nasal Spray 4 mg will be available on shelves nationwide and online beginning in September. Over-the-counter (OTC) access to NARCAN Nasal Spray offers more people the ability to respond in an opioid emergency, helping to save lives and keep loved ones and communities safe. Expanding access and awareness is critical given the staggering toll of the epidemic mainly driven by synthetic opioids, like fentanyl. Last year, approximately every seven minutes one life was lost due to an opioid overdose, and today it is the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S.2,3 The average response time for emergency services to arrive is approximately 10 minutes.4 Having NARCAN Nasal Spray in a first-aid kit, or carrying it on the go in case of an opioid emergency, can make a difference and help reverse the effects of opioids while waiting for emergency personnel to arrive.
“As a medical professional and mom who experienced the unthinkable and lost both of her sons to accidental overdose, I know you can’t put a price on peace of mind and there is no act too great to protect family,” said Dr. Bonnie Milas, Penn Medicine physician and professor of Clinical Anesthesiology and Critical Care. “Picking up NARCAN Nasal Spray at the store is not a sign that your family has “a problem,” in fact it shows you are prepared just in case. It’s like buying a fire extinguisher to have at home – having the power to save a life of someone you love, someone you know, or someone that may need another chance.”
With the same safe and effective 4 mg formulation, device design and original prescription strength, NARCAN Nasal Spray can reverse the effects of opioids, including fentanyl. Consumers can expect the life-saving treatment to be widely available at leading mass, drug, grocery and online retailers beginning in September. The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of NARCAN Nasal Spray is $44.99 per carton, which is equivalent to roughly $22.50 per dose. While Emergent works with partners to help maintain access and affordability, the price of the product is set by individual retailers.
“A steadfast commitment to expanding access to naloxone has always been at the forefront of our work to help save lives and we’re proud to bring NARCAN Nasal Spray to many, many more places,” said Paul Williams, senior vice president, products business. “Expanding availability to online and in-store shelves, increasing awareness and education to reduce stigma, and calling on the public to be prepared, is additive to the current work Emergent does every single day to stem the tide of this public health threat. On the eve of International Overdose Awareness Day, we stand by our ongoing efforts with advocates, patients, customers and policy stakeholders to implement efforts that enhance naloxone distribution to all those in need.”
As a leader in the fight against the opioid crisis, Emergent has not raised the price of the product since its launch in 2016, and the company is focused on broadening distribution and maintaining affordability. To that end, Emergent has lowered its public interest price for NARCAN Nasal Spray to $41.00 per two-dose carton, effective August 31, 2023, building on its long-standing efforts with public interest partners to ensure naloxone is readily available to at-risk communities. Through federal grants and state and local government programs, many community organizations, first responders, and harm reduction groups can purchase NARCAN® Nasal Spray and distribute it at no cost to them. These programs help ensure life-saving products are available in communities across the country, particularly those that may be unable to reach life-saving medical care quickly in emergencies. While the public interest distribution channels are vast, many qualified groups can continue to use Emergent’s online portal, NARCANDirect™, as one pathway to purchase and ship bulk quantities of NARCAN® Nasal Spray to anywhere in the country.
According to a March 2023 report by the Reagan-Udall Foundation, almost 17 million doses of naloxone were distributed in the U.S. in 2021. More than 84 percent of those doses were distributed through channels such as local health departments, harm reduction organizations, first responders, schools, and other community organizations.5 Emergent recognizes the importance of these channels for naloxone access and will continue to support ongoing distribution to high-risk and underserved communities in need.
With the prescription approval of NARCAN Nasal Spray in 2015, Emergent has more than seven years of real-world safety data, and continues to evaluate trends across society, new opioid threats and is committed to doing its part in fighting the opioid epidemic.
