weeknights on pbs.
>> This week the fda approved
nationwide over-the-counter
sales of narcan.
Narcan is the brand name version
of the generic drug naloxone,
which comes as a nasal spray or
injection.
Overdoses are the leading cause
of accidental death in the U.S.,
responsible for more than
932,000 fatalities since 1999.
Today it is largely driven by
opioid use.
Earlier I spoke with the
codirector of opioid policy
research in Brandeis university.
>> I think the decision to allow
naloxone to be sold
over-the-counter is helpful.
It will make an antidote to
opioid overdoses more available,
which is important when
overdoses become the leading
cause of accidental death in the
U.S.
I do think overall this is a
message of change.
-- This is a positive change.
But many who die of an opioid
overdose do so without an
opportunity to be rescued.
For the people we do rescue with
naloxone, most of them are
suffering from opioid use
disorder.
If they don't get treatment, you
have to hope someone is around
with naloxone the next time they
Naloxone is helpful but likely
to have a smaller impact.
>> What would have a bigger
impact?
>> We should be doing a better
job of detecting opioid use
disorder and treating it.
If we want to see overdose
deaths come down in the short
run, we have to see accessing
effective outpatient treatment,
specially with the first line
treatment, that treatment has to
be made much easier for people
to obtain.
It has to essentially be free.
If we can make that treatment
more available while making it
harder for people to continue
using fentanyl or heroin or
description opioids, I think we
will see overdose deaths come
down significantly.
>> Is the cost of it a hurdle?
It may be more freely available,
but is the price prohibitive?
>> At the organizations that
give out naloxone for free.
There are states that sponsor
programs, grants, all that has
been helpful.
This new product that will be
released over-the-counter,
unfortunately it does appear the
manufacturer will be charging a
very hefty price for the drug.
That does not seem appropriate.
It looks like the manufacturer
is trying to take advantage of
the disparate situation -- the
desperate separation we are in.
Administering naloxone to
someone experiencing an overdose
is easy.
That does not mean there is not
anything people should know.
We should tell people to not
just give naloxone but call 911.
Naloxone can wear off faster
than the opioid that caused the
overdose.
If that happens the patient
could stop breathing again and
will need another dose of
naloxone.
We have seen community groups
teaching children how to
administer naloxone to their
parents when they witness an
overdose.
I think that speaks to how
straightforward it is.
>> What advice would you give?
Is this something that should be
in everyone's first-aid kit?
Would you like to see as many
people as possible to be
carrying this?
>> Naloxone should be available
any place there is a chance
someone can experience an opioid
overdose.
In households where individuals
are taking pain medication, even
prescribed opioid pain
medication, or households where
someone has opioid use sorter,
those homes should have locks
on.
We should also have naloxone in
public leases, in Starbucks
because people are overdosing in
bathrooms.
We should have it on airplanes.
We should have it widely
available considering how common
it is for people in America to
lose their life to an opoid
overdose.
>> You would rather see this
treated as a disease then
punished as a crime.
>> One of the things we have
seen over the past 15 years is a
greater awareness that people
with opioid use disorder are
suffering from a chronic disease
rather than a moral failing.
We have not really seen a
commitment from the federal
government to long-term funding
for opioid addiction treatment.
During the AIDS crisis, the U.S.
Decided if someone was HIV
positive, they should have
access to antiretrovirals
therapy regardless of their
ability to.
We created a new funding stream.
We have not done that yet for
opioid addiction.
>> Should the administration be
doing more?
>> There is a lot more the fda
can be doing.
The fda could be doing a much
but her of helping prevent
opioid use disorder from better
regulation of opioid
manufacturers.
To this day the fda is allowing
manufacturers of opioid products
.
Changes that needed to be made
for many years, it would be nice
to see the fda act on that.
The Biden administration could
be doing a much better job of
expanding access to opioid
addiction treatment.
When president Biden ran for
office, he had a very nice
detailed plan for making opioid
addiction treatment more
available in the U.S. And yet we
have not seen the administration
fully act on that plan yet.
>> Thank you very much.
>> Thank you for having me.