Narcan nasal spray can be used to treat opioid overdoses.

Deaths due to opioid overdoses have become one of the most pressing medical issues facing the United States today, with approximately 81,000 deaths recorded in 2021 alone. Overdoses on both elicit substances like heroin and prescription drugs like fentanyl have been officially considered a health epidemic since 2017. In addition to more careful regulation on controlled substances, medical researchers have been looking for ways to potentially save lives in the event of an overdose scenario.

Emergent BioSolutions’ Narcan, generic name naloxone, is a nasal spray-type medicine that, when administered to an overdose patient, can reverse their symptoms and save their life. Some states have blanket prescriptions for this treatment to improve its availability, but this week, the FDA will decide on whether to expand that availability even further. The FDA’s advisors have recommended that the drug be approved for over-the-counter sales, allowing easy purchase with no prescription necessary.

“Each day 187 people will die — this is absolutely tragic as we think of not only the individuals themselves, but the families, the communities, the workplaces. This has profound human impact and we are all impacted from this,” said Manish Vyas, senior vice president of regulatory affairs at Emergent BioSolutions.

“If naloxone becomes a nonprescription product, it may be sold in many venues previously unavailable to consumers, including vending machines, convenience stores, supermarkets and big-box stores, just like other nonprescription products,” said Jody Green, an official at the FDA’s nonprescription drug division.

The FDA has a March 29 deadline to decide on the matter.