Johns Hopkins Medicine

Alcohol And Drug Abuse – Johns Hopkins Medicine Podcasts

Johns Hopkins Medicine

  • What are the consequences of allowing Naloxone sales over the counter? Elizabeth Tracey reports

What are the consequences of allowing Naloxone sales over the counter? Elizabeth Tracey reports

Monday 2nd October 2023

Michael Fingerhood explores the pros and cons of the FDA's decision to allow over-the-counter sales of naloxone in this insightful episode.
1 minute
Informative
Empowering
Hopeful
Educational
Empowering

About this podcast

Alcohol And Drug Abuse – Johns Hopkins Medicine Podcasts
Author:
Johns Hopkins Medicine
Overview:
Categories:
Understanding Addiction & Recovery
Navigating Alcohol Dependency
Navigating Intimate Relationships
Nutritional Pathways to Recovery
Family Recovery from Addiction
Links:
Visit site
Episodes:
32 (View all)
Rounded Button Dark
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!

Naloxone Over the Counter: A Lifeline or a Barrier?

Episode Overview

  • The episode explores the FDA's decision to allow over-the-counter sales of naloxone.
  • Michael Fingerhood, a substance use disorder expert at Johns Hopkins, raises concerns about the potential downsides of this decision.
  • Fingerhood discusses the impact of cost on naloxone accessibility and the potential reduction in free naloxone availability.
  • Naloxone's critical role in preventing opioid-related fatalities is highlighted, emphasising its importance as a life-saving medication.
  • The episode provides valuable insights into the implications of the FDA's decision and its potential consequences for naloxone accessibility.
Naloxone is easy to administer and has saved millions of lives that may have been lost to opioid overdoses.
Imagine having a life-saving medication within reach, but it comes with strings attached. This episode of the Johns Hopkins Medicine podcast dives into the FDA's recent decision to make naloxone available over the counter. Naloxone is a critical tool in reversing opioid overdoses, but what happens when it's sold without a prescription? Michael Fingerhood, a substance use disorder expert at Johns Hopkins, sheds light on this complex issue.
He raises valid concerns about the potential downsides, such as the high cost of naloxone and how it might limit access to free versions of the drug. Fingerhood stresses the life-saving importance of naloxone, but also questions if making it over-the-counter could inadvertently reduce its availability to those who need it most. This episode offers a balanced view, exploring both the benefits and the potential pitfalls of this FDA decision.
Whether you're directly affected by opioid issues or just interested in public health, this discussion provides crucial insights into the ongoing battle against opioid overdoses.