Pharmacies in New York starting Aug. 15 will be required to carry and dispense the over-the-counter drug naloxone to counteract overdoses in the state as part of an order issued Thursday by Health Commissioner Mary Bassett. .
Naloxone is used to block the effects of opioids and can help a person regain consciousness and breathe.
Bassett pointed to a “bundle” of orders that were intended to ease the rules for the distribution of naloxone, including guidance issued by public health officials in New York City and Erie County.
Some pharmacy chains used their own distribution rules and the Department of Health. All told, the order issued Thursday covers 2,600 pharmacies across the state.
Previously, many pharmacies had to apply individually to dispense naloxone without a prescription.
“This is as close as we can get to naloxone being ‘over the counter’ without action being taken by the US Food and Drug Administration,” Bassett said.
The effort to make naloxone available as widely as possible comes as overdose deaths have increased in New York and across the country since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In April, the Department of Health found a record number of people died due to overdose death in 2020.
“Naloxone is a critical tool in addressing the overdose epidemic and has prevented thousands of overdose deaths across New York State,” said Office of Addiction and Support Services Commissioner Chinazo Cunningham. “Making it easier to get this life-saving medication will mean more individuals have a meaningful chance of receiving services and supports to help improve their health.”
