Press Releases

WASHINGTON—U.S. Representatives Brittany Pettersen (D-CO) and Marc Molinaro (R-NY) today introduced the Supporting Access to Vital and Affordable Care for Everyone (SAVE Act), a bipartisan bill that expands access to over-the-counter (OTC) naloxone, such as Narcan. Pettersen introduced this bill as opioid overdose deaths continue to rise across the United States, fueled by hyper-potent fentanyl. The bill is also led by Representatives Mike Carey (R-OH), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Chris Pappas (D-NH), and David Trone (D-MD).

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly half of all fatal overdoses had at least one opportunity for a bystander to intervene. Naloxone nasal spray, a life-saving medication, can be used by bystanders to rapidly reverse an opioid overdose. The first OTC naloxone nasal spray, Narcan, was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but it can be expensive and not as accessible to all.

The Supporting Access to Vital and Affordable Care for Everyone (SAVE Act) ensures OTC naloxone, such as Narcan, is affordable and accessible to everyone by allowing the purchase to qualify as a deductible medical expense on an individual’s taxes.

“Without overdose-reversal medications like naloxone or ‘Narcan,’ my mom wouldn’t be alive today,” said Pettersen. “These medications save lives and should be easy to access. I am happy to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan bill to lower financial barriers and ensure everyone who needs help has access to these life-saving medications.” 

Molinaro said, “Naloxone and Narcan can reverse an opioid overdose and is a crucial tool in helping save lives amid a local and national spike in opioid overdose deaths. Unfortunately for many, the medication isn’t always affordable. A good Samaritan who purchases lifesaving naloxone should not have that expense weigh down on their family’s budget. My bipartisan bill will make OTC naloxone, such as Narcan accessible to everyone, regardless of income.”  

President of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Dr. Ronald L. Harter said, “Now that over-the-counter naloxone is available, we must make sure that it is accessible to everyone. The opioid epidemic has touched nearly everyone, but each of us can have a role in fighting it. Allowing the purchase of OTC naloxone to count towards the deduction of medical expenses is just good common sense and puts us one step closer to ensuring that every medicine cabinet in the U.S. includes OTC naloxone. The SAVE Act will incentivize more people to join the fight and be ready when they are called upon to save a life. We can’t imagine not having smoke detectors in our homes, and we shouldn’t think twice about having OTC naloxone in our homes, either. We can’t thank Rep. Molinaro and Rep. Pettersen enough for their leadership in helping all Americans combat the opioid crisis.” 

Chief Executive Officer of Stop the Addiction Fatality Epidemic (SAFE) Project, Jeff Horwitz said, "Making naloxone available over the counter is not effective if you cannot afford to pay for it. The SAVE Act removes a critical barrier by allowing over-the-counter naloxone to be counted towards deductible “qualified medical expenses” under the IRS rule. This will allow an employee to use their HSA and FSA funds to purchase naloxone. Passing the SAVE Act is one more positive step to saving lives."