Over-The-Counter Sales Of OD-Reversal Drug Have Been A Bust

Key Takeaways

Over-the-counter sales of naloxone have been a bustRegulators had hoped making the OD-reversing drug available without a prescription would increase accessThe medication’s $45 price tag appears to have limited sales

TUESDAY, Sept. 16, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Over-the-counter sales have tanked for the overdose reversal drug naloxone , likely due to its high price, a new study says.

Naloxone (Narcan) is a nasal spray that rapidly reverses an overdose by blocking opioid receptors in the body. It has been a key weapon in fighting America’s opioid drug crisis.

To that end, regulators in September 2023 made naloxone available without a prescription, hoping to get the medication into more hands and potentially save more lives.

Sales peaked during the first month of availabil