Availability of Naloxone in Retail Pharmacies Following Introduction of Over-the-Counter Status.
61% of pharmacies stocking naloxone offered it same-day without a prescription
Availability of Naloxone in Retail Pharmacies Following Introduction of Over-the-Counter Status.
IMPORTANCE: Expanding access to naloxone is an essential strategy in addressing the overdose crisis in the US.
To assess the same-day availability of naloxone without a prescription across US retail pharmacies and examine pharmacy and neighborhood factors associated with access following OTC approval.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cross-sectional study used a secret shopper design to assess availability of naloxone in retail pharmacies in the US from January 15 to April 30, 2024.
Naloxone was located at the pharmacy counter (estimate, 58.14% [95% CI, 53.59%-62.68%]), self-service aisles (estimate, 31.74% [95% CI, 27.59%-35.89%]), and front checkout areas (estimate, 8.99% [95% CI, 6.64%-11.34%]).
The mean (SE) cost was $52.07 ($1.50) (95% CI, $49.12-$55.02).
Pharmacies classified as food and/or mass merchandisers, independent, or medical affiliated had a lower odds ratio of offering same-day naloxone compared with corporate chains.
In separate analyses, pharmacies located in areas with higher proportions of White residents were more likely to offer naloxone.
In this cross-sectional study of pharmacies across the US, same-day naloxone availability and price remained uneven following OTC approval.
As an initial national evaluation of same-day naloxone availability and price after OTC approval, the findings showed differences in implementation across pharmacy types and community demographic features.
Although enactment of the OTC policy was necessary, its intended benefits were not realized equally in practice.