FDA panel weighs moving opioid antidote over the counter

By MATTHEW PERRONE
AP Health Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health advisers are weighing whether the overdose-reversal drug naloxone should be made available as an over-the-counter medication. It’s the latest government proposal to increase use of the medication against the opioid overdose crisis. The nasal spray version, Narcan, is already available without a prescription in all 50 states. But switching it to over-the-counter status would allow it to be sold in vending machines, supermarkets and other locations. The Food and Drug Administration panel is scheduled to take a non-binding vote on the switch late Wednesday. FDA will make a final decision on the drug in coming weeks.