The nasal spray naloxone, which can reverse opioid overdoses, is now available to buy over-the-counter at pharmacies in Sweden.
This is a great step forward, but we can't stop here, says Jennie Gejel, chairperson of the User Association in Stockholm.
Naloxone is a solution that works as an antidote to opioid overdoses, such as heroin and fentanyl. It has been available in Sweden since 2018, but until now, it has only been prescribed to individuals who are at risk of taking an overdose.
As of mid-July, the life-saving medication is available to buy over-the-counter.
Anything that makes it less complicated to get naloxone is good. Now, relatives can also buy naloxone, and it can save lives, says Jennie Gejel.
The reason naloxone was not previously available over-the-counter is that the approval process required that the person receiving the medication must receive information on how to use it. After a new assessment, the Medical Products Agency concluded that pharmacy staff can provide the necessary instructions.
Now in stores
The fact that the medication is now available over-the-counter means that there is free pricing, which may make the over-the-counter product more expensive than the prescription-based one.
People with ongoing opioid addiction rarely have extra money, so it would have been best if this was complemented with some kind of financing option, says Gejel.
A pharmacy that TT has been in contact with says that it is sold over-the-counter for 578 kronor and costs 452 kronor with a prescription. At another chain, the price is 452 kronor, with or without a prescription.
The nasal spray is initially an order item and must be ordered in a physical store. It is not sold online at pharmacies due to the requirement for counseling during the sale.
Counseling required
"It is not enough for the customer to receive information on their own through, for example, reading a website. The requirement for a pharmacist to provide counseling means that information and counseling must be actively provided by a pharmacist in dialogue with the customer," writes the Medical Products Agency's inspector Gustav Sjöstrand to TT.
Naloxone is an order item because the supply is limited, according to the industry organization the Swedish Pharmacy Association.
There is not a large stock yet, so it's smarter to have it as an order item so that it doesn't run out as a result of some pharmacies buying large volumes, says Johan Wallér at the Swedish Pharmacy Association.
An overdose of opioids can cause respiratory arrest, leading to oxygen deficiency, unconsciousness, and cardiac arrest.
Naloxone reverses the effects of opioids in about half an hour and makes it possible to breathe again. It also removes the intoxication.
Naloxone, administered in the form of a nasal spray, is an antidote to all types of opioids.
Until now, it has only been allowed to prescribe it to individuals who themselves are at risk of taking an overdose of opioids.
Source: National Board of Health and Welfare, Medical Products Agency
