The District is attempting to battle town’s opioid overdose epidemic by meting out Narcan at merchandising machines.

A pilot program is placing Narcan, a nasal spray of the overdose-stopping medicine naloxone, in 4 merchandising machines within the metropolis. Another two merchandising machines can be added to this system, metropolis officers mentioned.

In cooperation with the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, three merchandising machines had been positioned outdoors firehouses throughout the district.

The places for the 4 Narcan merchandising machines are:

• Engine #7, 1101 Half St. SW.

• Engine #33, 101 Atlantic St. SE.

• Engine #27, 4260 Minnesota Ave. NE.

The fourth merchandising machine is positioned on the Whitman Walker Health Center at 2301 Martin Luther King Jr Ave. SE.

D.C. well being officers didn't specify the place the remaining two Narcan merchandising machines can be put in.

The machines additionally vend fentanyl check strips to detect the lethal artificial opioid.

For these unable to achieve a merchandising machine or different place offering Narcan, the drug might quickly be obtainable over-the-counter at shops. On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration permitted the nasal spray to be used and not using a prescription.

“Today’s approval of OTC naloxone nasal spray will help improve access to naloxone, increase the number of locations where it’s available and help reduce opioid overdose deaths throughout the country. We encourage the manufacturer to make accessibility to the product a priority by making it available as soon as possible and at an affordable price,” mentioned FDA Commissioner Robert Califf.

The value for a two-spray unit of brand name title Narcan is $141, in line with the Drugs.com database. An equal unit of the generic, naloxone hydrochloride, is $119.

Fentanyl check strips, in line with Drugs.com, can value $1 to $2 per strip.

Content Source: www.washingtontimes.com