Pharmalittle: U.S. pharma layoffs continue to climb; senators push insulin makers for details of low-cost programs

Top of the morning to you, and a fine one it is. Blue skies and cool breezes are enveloping the Pharmalot campus, where the official mascots are bounding about the grounds and the usual street noise has dropped to a dull hum. As for us, we are immersed in the usual ritual — brewing cups of stimulation. Our choice today is the flavorful chocolate raspberry. Yum. Meanwhile, we have also managed to work up the latest menu of tidbits for you to peruse. So please feel free to dig in. As always, we hope you have a meaningful and productive day. Best of luck, and do keep in touch. …

The opioid overdose antidote Narcan will be available over the counter in the U.S. in coming days, a move that is hoped to increase access to the life-saving medicine amid a worsening opioid epidemic, NBC News tells us. Emergent BioSolutions, which makes the drug, said shipments are on their way to major retailers, including Walgreens, Walmart, Rite Aid, and CVS, and could also be available to buy online from some businesses this week. Offering Narcan over the counter has the potential to reduce stigma around opioid use, but the cost of the drug — $44.99 for a box of two doses — may put it out of reach for some, since insurance does not typically cover over-the-counter medicine.

Meanwhile, one major insurance plan — Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts — announced this week that it would cover naloxone as an over-the-counter medication, STAT notes. But it’s unclear whether others will follow suit, and more generally, whether making naloxone available without a prescription will make much difference in the fight against opioid overdose deaths.

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