WOONSOCKET, R.I., July 29, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Health (NYSE:
CVS) and Adapt Pharma (www.AdaptPharma.com) today announced a new
partnership that will make the opioid overdose-reversing drug
NARCAN® (Naloxone HCl) Nasal Spray more affordable for patients
without insurance at CVS Pharmacy locations. Through this
partnership, CVS Pharmacy patients purchasing NARCAN® Nasal Spray
without insurance will receive a $35
discount coupon to purchase the medication, reducing the
out-of-pocket cost by nearly 25 percent. NARCAN® Nasal Spray
is the first and only FDA-approved, ready-to-use nasal formulation
of naloxone for the emergency treatment of opioid overdose.
NARCAN® Nasal Spray is available in a convenient box containing two
units (each unit delivers a concentrated 4mg dose of active
medication-naloxone hydrochloride- in a .1ml mist) for immediate
use if the need arises.
"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
Carolyn.Castel@CVSHealth.com
Adapt Pharma Media Contact:
Thom Duddy
Executive Director, Communications & Marketing
(484) 532-5470
Thomas.Duddy@adaptpharma.com
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SOURCE CVS Health