Overdoses, overcome: California naloxone access.

• Author: Doherty, Brian
• Position: Citings - Brief article

IN SEPTEMBER, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill legalizing access to naloxone from pharmacists without a prescription. The drug, which can reverse opiate overdoses in process, will still not be available over the counter, as the state will require buyers to receive minimal education in its use based on guidelines that are still in development.

The drug, also known by the trade name Narcan, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1971. Emergency medical personnel have long used it in the field to save lives, and it can be administered by nasal spray or injection. Several other states have also recently widened the legal availability of the drug, including Washington, Rhode Island, Vermont, New York, and New Mexico.

Naloxone is...