A sign for the Food and Drug Administration is displayed outside their offices in Silver Spring, Md., on Dec. 10, 2020. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)
The life-saving overdose reversal agent Narcan is one step closer to being easily accessed by the general public.
The Food and Drug Administration's board of independent advisors voted to make the nasal spray available for over-the-counter purchasing.
"There is no reason to keep this as a prescription, let's get it out there and save some lives," Elizabeth Coykendall, a temporary voting member on the FDA's advisory board and paramedic at PM Pediatrics in Raleigh, North Carolina, told CNBC.
A final decision has not been made by the agency but they are expected to have a final answer by March 29. Emergent BioSolutions, the maker of Narcan, said the spray would be available for purchase by late summer if it receives FDA approval.
All 50 states currently offer a generic version of Narcan known as Naloxone, and it is already being sold over-the-counter after a sharp rise in overdose deaths in recent years. People seeking the treatment do not have to have a prescription.
"Allowing it to be sold over-the-counter in the same manner in every state really clears uop some confusion and hopefully clears up some of that red tape," Dr Kirk Evoy, a clinical associate professor of pharmacotherapy a the University of Texas at Austin, told CNN.
If the FDA does remove Narcan from its list of prescribed treatments, it could become available in places outside of pharmacies like vending machines, supermarkets and convenience stores.
Bamboo-based toilet paper company Cloud Paper raised $5 million in a recent funding round. Its product is a bamboo-based alternative to traditional toilet paper made from trees, and its mission is to end the deforestation caused by traditional paper products. Cloud Paper says the raise will allow it to make significant investments in its supply chain, product development, and hiring. Ryan Fritsch, a co-founder of Cloud Paper, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Space tourism company World View plans to launch its first commercial flights in early 2024, with voyages to take off from iconic locations around the world like the Grand Canyon — but seemingly at a flexible price point. Dale Hipsh, president of tourism and exploration at World View, joined Cheddar to discuss what a trip to the stratosphere would look like with his company and its much less expensive take on space travel. "Our technology allows us to be more democratic, to offer more opportunities for people to experience near space, and that overview effect," he said. "So we're really thrilled to be bringing it to market."
A recent NOAA report found America's coastline could experience a century's worth of sea rise in just 30 years. By 2050, water on the U.S. coast will be 10-12 inches higher, causing major eastern cities to be hit regularly with floods, even on sunny days. Gary Mitchum, professor of physical oceanography at the University of South Florida, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
The Biden administration is launching a new task force to promote the use of 'cleaner' construction materials with lower life cycle emissions. This comes as the White House works to speed up government purchases of greener products. Sweta Chakraborty, climate change expert and U.S. president of "We Don't Have Time," joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Stephen Gardner, director at ETF Managers Group, explains why investors shouldn't be rushing to sell vaccine stocks like Moderna or BioNTech even as the spread of COVID-19 slows down.
On this episode of Cheddar Innovates: Evolution Devices CEO breaks down how the Evowalk wearable device can help those with walking impairments; Cresilon CEO explains how he's created a plant-based gel to easily treat wounds in both humans and animals; A look at Curiosity Stream's 'The Colorado Problem.'
Pier Mantovani, Founder and CEO of Evolution Devices, joins Cheddar Innovates to discuss how the Evowalk wearable device can help those with walking impairments, and how remote physical therapy is becoming a reality.
Joe Landolina, CEO and Co-Founder of Cresilon, joins Cheddar Innovates to discuss how he's created a plant-based gel to easily treat wounds in both humans and animals.
A new analysis reveals that for more than two decades, the West has been the driest it has ever been since 800 A.D. The drought which began in 2000 has brought more devastating wildfires and draining water reserves well below healthy levels. Climate Scientists and Adjunct Associate Research Scientist at Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University,Benjamin Cook, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
