CVS Health to Increase Access to FDA-approved Nasal Naloxone for Patients without Insurance through Improved Affordability of NARCAN® Nasal Spray at CVS Pharmacy Locations

"Having a ready-to-use dose of naloxone in a nasal spray device makes administration of this life-saving medication quick and easy for friends and families of loved ones struggling with addiction in an emergency overdose situation," said Tom Davis, RPh, Vice President of Pharmacy Professional Practices at CVS Health.  "Through this partnership with Adapt Pharma, NARCAN® Nasal Spray will be more affordable for CVS Pharmacy patients who don't have insurance.  CVS Health is dedicated to helping communities address and prevent prescription drug abuse, which is why we have worked to increase access to the opioid overdose-reversal drug naloxone for patients.  Using a physician's standing order or collaborative practice agreement, we have eliminated the need for patients to obtain a prescription for naloxone in 31 states across the country."

"This partnership is an important milestone in increasing access to FDA-approved naloxone formulations across U.S. communities. We are encouraged by the progress marked by CVS Pharmacy's decision to improve affordability of NARCAN® Nasal Spray, especially within states with standing orders, which allow patient access to this opioid overdose treatment without physician-written naloxone prescriptions," said Seamus Mulligan, Chairman and CEO of Adapt Pharma. "NARCAN® Nasal Spray was designed with communities in mind, specifically breaking down barriers to a medication that has been proven, intuitive and ready-to-use by those most likely to encounter an overdose emergency, the friends, loved ones and caregivers of patients susceptible to opioid-related overdose. Now these community members will be able to access the first and only FDA-approved, ready-to-use nasal spray version of naloxone in thousands of CVS Pharmacy locations nationwide." 

CVS Health's naloxone program establishes a standing order with a physician, which permits CVS Pharmacists to dispense naloxone to patients without an individual prescription.  By August 2016, CVS Health will make this life-saving medication more accessible to CVS Pharmacy patients in 31 states: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Virginia and Vermont.

CVS Health's commitment to help communities address and prevent drug abuse also includes drug abuse prevention education, outreach and access to safe medication disposal. Patients visiting CVS.com can find recently launched drug abuse prevention resources for themselves and their families. The company has also launched a community outreach program called Pharmacists Teach, which brings local pharmacists to high school health classes to talk to students about the dangers of drug abuse. More than 100,000 students have already been part of the program.

CVS Health has also joined with the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids for the Medication Disposal for Safer Communities Program, which has donated more than 600 drug disposal units to police departments around the country. The program gives members of the community a safe and environmentally friendly way to dispose of unwanted medication and has already collected more than 43 metric tons of prescription drugs. Members of the community can use a zip code locator at CVS.com to find the disposal unit closest to them.

About CVS Health
CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its more than 9,600 retail pharmacies, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with nearly 80 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year, and expanding specialty pharmacy services, the Company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable and effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at https://www.cvshealth.com.

Adapt Pharma
Adapt Pharma is a privately-held pharmaceutical company committed to positively impacting the lives of patients. Adapt Pharma's strategy is to identify, evaluate, selectively acquire and enhance the value of late stage development, and FDA approved, pharmaceutical products. Adapt Pharma's company headquarters is in Dublin, Ireland and its U.S. headquarters is in Radnor, Pennsylvania. For more information, please visit www.adaptpharma.com.

CVS Media Contact:

Carolyn Castel
Corporate Communications
(401) 770-5717
[email protected]

Adapt Pharma Media Contact:

Thom Duddy
Executive Director, Communications & Marketing
(484) 532-5470
[email protected]

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SOURCE CVS Health

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