Increase access to Naloxone

In 2021, nearly 80 percent of overdose deaths were caused by opioids, many of which could have been prevented if Naloxone was readily available and used to reverse the overdose.[3][4] In early 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the over-the-counter Naloxone nose spray, Narcan.[5] The Biden Administration has launched a campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of this life-saving drug.[3] However, cost can be a barrier to access, as it can vary based on the facility or geographical location where an individual obtains Naloxone.[4] The Administration and Congress should work together to ensure the widespread availability of low-cost (or even free) naloxone. One model that has been scaled successfully are AEDs, devices that can deliver life-saving interventions for individuals experiencing cardiac arrest and are now widely distributed across a range of public and private settings. Federal agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Education, Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, should take action to ensure that a variety of funding streams can be used to distribute naloxone and promote such use of funds.[1][2][6]