President Biden’s top health officials are giving Americans a hands-on look at how to use naloxone, the generic name for Narcan’s overdose-reversing drug available at pharmacies without a prescription.
Rosalind Pichardo, founder of Operation Save Our City, a nonprofit in Philadelphia, used a mannequin named Sunshine to show how a rescuer should try to rouse a person who might be overdosing before spraying naloxone into the nose.
Ms. Pichardo enlisted the White House drug czar, Dr. Rahul Gupta, and his top officials during the live demonstration Friday at the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington.
After the initial spray, Ms. Pichardo said, a rescuer should make sure the overdosing person does not have anything in his or her mouth and deliver rescue breaths with his or her own mouth before giving a second dose of the spray and putting the overdose victim on his or her side in a “rescue position.”
Naloxone can be injected, though everyday people tend to deliver it through an easy-to-use nasal spray. Narcan is a common brand name.
Ms. Pichardo said if the person wakes up after the initial steps, the rescuer should let the person know what happened and how many doses of Narcan he or she received.
The administration considers naloxone to be a key tool in its fight against the drug overdose crisis that kills over 100,000 Americans per day.
Dr. Gupta, the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, said the rate of overdoses has flatlined in recent years after jumping between 2019 and 2021.
“We must go forward and push forward. We double down and triple down on efforts,” Dr. Gupta said.
HHS officials conducted a demonstration because naloxone is being offered this month over the counter, without a prescription, for the first time.
The drug is hitting shelves in CVS, Walgreens and other pharmacies. It costs about $45, raising concerns the price might leave it out of reach for some people. Officials say it’s a small cost for a life-saving tool, and they are hopeful Americans will take advantage of easy access.
“It takes us to make it happen, so I hope that we recognize that we are now being given the tool to save a life,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said.
Sometimes insurers will not cover an over-the-counter product, so consumers might find a better deal by looking for a prescribed product.
Dr. Gupta said the government is working with drug companies to get cheaper options on shelves and encouraging states and insurers to make naloxone kits available for free.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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