The life-saving overdose reversal agent Narcan is one step closer to being easily accessed by the general public.
The Food and Drug Administration's board of independent advisors voted to make the nasal spray available for over-the-counter purchasing.
"There is no reason to keep this as a prescription, let's get it out there and save some lives," Elizabeth Coykendall, a temporary voting member on the FDA's advisory board and paramedic at PM Pediatrics in Raleigh, North Carolina, told CNBC.
A final decision has not been made by the agency but they are expected to have a final answer by March 29. Emergent BioSolutions, the maker of Narcan, said the spray would be available for purchase by late summer if it receives FDA approval.
All 50 states currently offer a generic version of Narcan known as Naloxone, and it is already being sold over-the-counter after a sharp rise in overdose deaths in recent years. People seeking the treatment do not have to have a prescription.
"Allowing it to be sold over-the-counter in the same manner in every state really clears uop some confusion and hopefully clears up some of that red tape," Dr Kirk Evoy, a clinical associate professor of pharmacotherapy a the University of Texas at Austin, told CNN.
If the FDA does remove Narcan from its list of prescribed treatments, it could become available in places outside of pharmacies like vending machines, supermarkets and convenience stores.
Roughly 25% of people in the U.S. live with air pollution that could shorten their lives, according to a report from the American Lung Association.
Earth Day is in just a few days, and Shelley Rogers, who coordinates a fashion initiative for Earthday.org, stopped by the Cheddar News studios to showcase some clothing options for environmentally-conscious shoppers.
Earth Day is in just a few days, and Shelley Rogers, who coordinates a fashion initiative for Earthday.org, stopped by the Cheddar News studios to showcase some clothing options for environmentally-conscious shoppers.
How Salt Caves Can Boost Health and Wellness
A T-Rex skeleton that was assembled from nearly 300 bones dug up in the U.S. was sold at an auction in Zurich, Switzerland for over $5 million.
How Incorporating Resistance Bands Can Diversify Workout Sessions
A giant Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton that’s been dug up from three sites in the United States is going up for auction in Zurich. It's a first sale of its kind in Europe.
As the inaugural guest on Cheddar News' new show Be Well, Dr. Sandra Lee, also known as Dr. Pimple Popper, discussed when (and when not) to pop a pimple and how to take care of your skin and keep an eye out for signs of more dangerous issues such as cancer.
Moderna and Merck & Co. have developed a cancer vaccine that cuts the risk of death or recurrence of most deadly skin cancer by 44 percent compared to Keytruda on its own, according to researchers.
The company got the OK on Friday from the Federal Aviation Administration. CEO Elon Musk is giving 50-50 odds of Starship reaching orbit.
Load More