WASHINGTON – With drug overdoses reaching record highs in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration has approved a second over-the-counter medication to reverse opioid overdoses. RiVive is a three-milligram naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray.
“We know naloxone is a powerful tool to help quickly reverse the effects of opioids during an overdose. Ensuring naloxone is widely available, especially as an approved OTC product, makes a critical tool available to help protect public health,” FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D., said in a statement.
In March Emily’s Hope reported that the FDA approved the first over-the-counter drug for opioid overdose reversal. Narcan is expected to hit drug store, grocery store and convenience store shelves throughout the country within the next few weeks. You will also be able to buy it online. The medication’s manufacturer, Emergent BioSolutions, has said that it will cost less than $50 for two doses.
Meanwhile, RiVive’s manufacturer, Harm Reduction Therapeutics, claims that no company, entity or person will profit from its product. The company said it will give away at least 200,000 doses for free to the most in-need communities. It’s expected to be available early next year.
“Unlike other opioid overdose products, Harm Reduction Therapeutics will make RiVive, which can save lives, available for free or at low breakeven cost,” the company said in a statement.
People who are dependent on opioids may suffer side effects after using RiVive, including abdominal cramps, increased blood pressure and heart rate, and body aches.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 110,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2022.