DORAL, Fla. – Miami-Dade Fire Rescue demonstrated how to properly administer Narcan Thursday morning for people suffering from a drug overdose.
Narcan, an overdose reversal nasal spray, was approved in March to be sold over-the-counter by the Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA approved selling the leading version of naloxone without a prescription, setting the overdose-reversing drug on course to become the first opioid treatment drug to be sold over-the-counter.
The Narcan is administered through the nose, mucus membranes and reverses the effects of the opioid.
On Thursday, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue demonstrated how to use the life-saving medication which they say should take affect within the first two minutes.
“If Narcan isn’t readily available in the presence of an opioid overdose, the person will die,” said MDFR Lt. Eddy Ballester.
Authorities said that if, after two minutes of administering, you do not see a positive response, a second dose should be used — but no more than that.
The approval to sell the over-the-counter drug comes as the U.S. continues to see a staggering number of opioid-related deaths driven in large part by the spread of synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.
“It’s very exciting that Narcan can be administered by non-medical personnel. The person no longer has to wait for fire rescue to arrive,” said Ballester.
Ballester says drug overdose numbers have been astonishing, even within Miami-Dade County.
“We’ve seen a steady increase in the amount of times we’ve had to administer Narcan.,” said Ballester.
With Narcan readily available, authorities say a person can save a life much quicker, whether it be another person, their pets or themselves.
Narcan is expected to be sold directly to consumers in places like drug stores, convenience stores, grocery stores, gas stations and online.