Naloxone now available in CVS Pharmacy locations in Washington

CVS Health today announced that all CVS Pharmacy locations in the state of Washington now have naloxone, the opioid overdose-reversal medicine, available for patients without the need of a prescription.

CVS pharmacists have procured prescriptive authority to distribute the medicine according to a cooperative agreement with a state physician.

"Naloxone is a safe and effective antidote to opioid overdoses and by expanding access to this medication in our Washington pharmacies for patients without a prescription, we can help save lives," CVS Pharmacy VP of Pharmacy Professional Practices Tom Davis said. "We are dedicated to helping the communities we serve address and prevent drug abuse and we are expanding access to naloxone to give more people a chance to get the help they need for recovery."

CVS currently has pharmacies in 30 other states that can provide the medication without prescriptions. By increasing the access to naloxone, CVS is expanding its efforts to decrease drug abuse. The company is also providing education on prevention and safe drug disposal.

CVS Health has dedicated itself to aiding in the discussions of preventing drug abuse in communities across the nation and has partnered with Drug-Free Kids to form Medication Disposal for Safer Communities.