Opioid overdose reversal drug likely safe for OTC use, says FDA

FILE PHOTO: The drug Naloxone sits on a table during a free Opioid Overdose Prevention Training class provided by Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, New York, U.S., April 5, 2018. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

Opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone may be safe and effective for over-the-counter use in some forms, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Tuesday, potentially paving the way for its use federally.

The FDA would still require data on individual products from manufacturers for them to be available over the counter at a federal level.