GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The opioid overdose crisis continues here in West Michigan. According to the Kent County Health Department, since January 2022 to February 2023 there’s been 158 opioid-related deaths.
Nationwide, there were 101,750 reported fatal overdoses between October 2021 and October 2022, mainly stemming from fentanyl, stated the Food and Drug Administration in their announcement.
“Sadly, we have not taken all of the steps that we need to decrease the respiratory depression and opioid overdoses,” said Susan DeVuyst-Miller, a pharmacist who’s worked in the mental health field and with people who use substances for over 30 years. “I just read yesterday that we are unfortunately on track to reach over 120,000 deaths this year from opioid overdoses.”
So, on Wednesday March 29, in an effort to tackle the crisis, the FDA approved the Narcan nasal spray, that has four milligrams of naloxone in it, be sold over-the-counter without a prescription.
“Anything we can do to expand access to Naloxone kits is absolutely helpful,” said Stephen Alsum with the Red Project, a nonprofit that specializes in harm reduction. “But it’s frustrating when places have been demonstrating that community members can use these kits for over two decades, and they don’t make them available. So, we would’ve love to see them just generally make any Naloxone product over-the-counter.”
Alsum said the FDA only approved the nasal spray version of Narcan which works like Flonase. They did not approve the intra-muscular version, which is the more affordable of the two.
“So, the Narcan nasal devices retail at about $150 right now,” Alsum said. “Here at the Red Project, we distribute both of those, the intra-nasal devices but we also distribute intra-muscular. And, intra-muscular kits retail typically at about $20.”
The Red Project distributes them for free, at their office at the intersection of Hall and Madison, and in a vending machine near their front door.
DeVuyst-Miller wondered if the lack of affordability of the new OTC Narcan will become a barrier.
“I don’t think we know all that we know yet about this formulation going over-the-counter,” DeVuyst-Miller said. “If it’s over-the-counter will that mean we won’t be able to obtain it at a reasonable price for persons who cannot pay that affordable cost, whatever the affordable cost is.”
The FDA said in its statement that Narcan will soon be sold in drug stores, grocery stores, and gas stations. However, DeVuyst-Miller questioned how it’ll be displayed and sold in stores.
“We do know that a manufacturer will be repackaging it for over-the-counter,” she said. “Don’t know what the state of Michigan is going to do with the information or how we’re going to proceed as pharmacists, whether it’ll be on the counter like an acetaminophen product or will it be behind the counter with a pharmacy team so then we would be able to educate anybody who is utilizing the Narcan.”
Acetaminophen is also known as Tylenol, which is used to treat minor aches and pains, and found in grocery stores and pharmacies throughout the country.
Alsum said people who battle Substance Use Disorder or Opioid Use Disorder may not walk into a pharmacy to purchase Narcan. However, family members and friends may do so, just to have it nearby should their loved one need it in an emergency.
“We at the Red Project believe that everybody should carry Naloxone,” Alsum said. “It’s a very safe, very easy to use effective medication. We’re seeing way too many overdoses in our community. We’re seeing overdoses in public places. Everybody should carry Naloxone kits.”
