An FDA advisory panel has recommended that naloxone, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, be made available over the counter. The move is seen as a significant step forward in the fight against the opioid epidemic that has swept across the United States in recent years.
The panel’s recommendation was made following a two-day meeting that included input from experts and members of the public. The committee noted that opioid overdoses had become a significant public health crisis in the US, with tens of thousands dying yearly from opioid-related causes. Making naloxone available over the counter is seen as a way to increase access to life-saving medication and reduce the number of opioid-related deaths.