FDA approves new overdose reversal agent; Why local officials want to implement it

MIAMI VALLEY — Every 30 minutes, three people will overdose on fentanyl, according to the CDC.

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Often, Narcan is used to try to save lives, but it’s not always enough.

There is a new FDA-approved nasal spray that works to reverse the effects of natural and synthetic drugs.

It’s called OPVEE. It will look and work exactly like Narcan, but it is more efficient.

Narcan can be used when someone is overdosing on fentanyl, but it may take multiple doses. OPVEE is aimed to reverse the side effects in less doses.

“OPVEE was approved earlier this year in May of 2023…It was designed to respond to fentanyl,” Executive Director of Health Equity at Purdue University Jerome Adams said.

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You place the tip of the OPVEE nozzle into one nostril and press the plunger firmly, which then delivers one dose of OPVEE.

After the dose is administered, call 911 and stay with the person.

“Our hope with nasal naphthalene is that first we can make people aware of it and put it in the hands of first responders and then we can continue to make it more available in places in the public where people are likely to encounter an overdose,” Adams said.

News Center 7′s Taylor Robertson reached out to counties throughout the Miami Valley to see if they have heard of OPVEE.

Miami County Sheriff Dave Duchak said his office would have to do more research on the product.

The Greene County and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Offices said they currently use Narcan.

The Community Overdose Action Team Project Health in Dayton and Montgomery County Dawn Schwartz said they are very excited about another overdose reversal agent.

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She said it is one of those things where you never know when you’re going to use or need it.

“You could be using prescription drugs and forget that you’ve taken one and take another and that sends you into overdose,” Schwartz said.

Schwartz said her team is seeing fentanyl in every drug that is sold off the street.

“There is a very high chance that there’s cross-contamination, whether purposeful or not purposeful with fentanyl in the drug supply that you may be purchasing,” Schwartz said.

Schwartz said any drug that could reverse the effects of fentanyl is something the teams find exciting and would like to see it be accessible in Montgomery County soon.

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