CVS to sell opioid overdose antidote Naloxone without prescription

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CVS pharmacies across 14 states in the US will be selling the life-saving opioid overdose antidote Naloxone without any prescription.

On Wednesday, the vice president of pharmacy professional practices at CVS announced that CVS will continue to expand the practice of selling Naloxone without a prescription.

"While all 7,800 CVS/pharmacy stores nationwide can continue to order and dispense naloxone when a prescription is presented, we support expanding naloxone availability without a prescription and are reviewing opportunities to do so in other states," said Tom Davis of CVS, in a report by Huffington Post.

He added that in doing so, they are helping save lives.

"Over 44,000 people die from accidental drug overdoses every year in the United States and most of those deaths are from opioids, including controlled substance pain medication and illegal drugs such as heroin," Davis explained. "Naloxone is a safe and effective antidote to opioid overdoses and by providing access to this medication in our pharmacies without a prescription in more states, we can help save lives."

Naloxone or Narcan is an antidote medication that reverses the effects of opioids overdose and narcotic drugs. According to Drugs.com, Naloxone is given through an IV or an injection to the muscle

Due to this, CVS is being praised by The Drug Policy Alliance as the first big chain pharmacy in California to sell Naloxone. There are more than 50 CVS pharmacies all over the state and it makes the drug more available and easier to have it onhand for friends and family members with a loved one who is at risk of overdosing from opiates.

According to the press release published in The Drug Policy Alliance, accidental drug overdose is the leading cause of death in California. Some of these drug overdose deaths are from heroin and prescription pain medications. Overdose prevention advocates are overjoyed about the news, particularly the parents of those who lost their children to drug overdose.

"Dozens of moms and dads who lost kids to overdose worked to get the pharmacy naloxone bill passed. We know better than anyone that having access to that important drug can literally be the difference between life and death for our kids. This is a hugely significant day for all of us. We hope many more chain pharmacies will now come on board and make naloxone available to even more parents across the state," said Denise Cullen from Orange County, who lost her son to heroin addiction and overdose.

According to Pharmacist.com, Naloxone can now be bought without prescription in CVS pharmacies in the following states: Rhode Island, Massachusetts, California, Arkansas, Montana, New Jersey, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, North Dakota, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Utah and Tennessee.