YORK, Pa. — CVS Pharmacy is making the anti-overdose drug Naloxone available without a prescription, but it’s not on store shelves yet.
With more than 44,000 drug overdose deaths every year in the United States, mainly from opioids, there's no doubt that a major pharmacy like CVS offering the anti-overdose drug Naloxone without a prescription will save lives.
A law went into effect this year in Pennsylvania making the drug readily available to users and their families. CVS made the announcement Wednesday -- but as of Friday it was not readily available. Several CVS pharmacies in York County did not have any doses on hand. Pharmacists said a doctor's prescription would be needed to get the drug. Brandis Lynne experienced the same.
"Every pharmacy that I called, no one had it. Most of them didn't know what it was , and it wasn't available without a prescription at any of them," she said.
The cause is very close to her heart. "My brother died from an overdose two years ago, two and a half years ago actually," said Lynne. After her brother Will's death she has worked tirelessly to create the website 'I Will Recover.'
"It's kind of become like a passion for me just to help people and try to provide resources that aren't there," she said. Locating Naloxone for those who need it is just one aspect.
"Some people can't get a doctor's appointment, or they have a doctor's appointment and the doctor is hesitant to write a prescription for whatever reason. So you're already frustrated if you have an addict as a child, or a spouse, whomever, you're already frustrated and they might potentially overdose," said Lynne.
For more information on CVS carrying Naloxone click here.
For more information on I WILL RECOVER click here.
