The FDA approves the overdose-reversing drug Narcan for over-the-counter sales

The opioid overdose reversal drug Narcan (shown here at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Charleston in Charleston, W.Va., on Sept. 6, 2022) has been approved for over-the-counter sales. (Leah Willingham/AP)

The overdose-reversing drug Narcan could soon be available to buy over the counter without a prescription, the Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday.

The FDA's approval of the nasal spray Narcan — the brand name for the drug naloxone — means the medication could be more widely available across the U.S. as the country continues to grapple with an opioid epidemic.