Naloxone Dispensing Information for Pharmacies
Naloxone is a safe medication that can reverse the effects of opioids. Pharmacists who dispense naloxone can play a critical role in reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with opioid overdose in New York City.
The Department of Health has issued a citywide non-patient specific prescription or standing order. This authorizes all pharmacists and supervised pharmacy interns to dispense naloxone to anyone who requests it, without a patient-specific prescription.
Sign Up to Dispense Naloxone
To immediately access a signed copy of the standing order and to enroll your pharmacy in the reporting system, complete the New York City Pharmacy Naloxone Dispensing Agreement.
For more information, email pharmacynaloxone@health.nyc.gov.
Requirements for Participating Pharmacies
To dispense naloxone under the standing order, you must:
- Make naloxone available. Any person requesting naloxone is eligible to receive it. Pharmacies on the public-facing list do not need to keep naloxone in stock but must order it upon request. Order naloxone/Narcan from your wholesalers just like any other medicine you dispense by prescription.
- Provide patient education. Naloxone must be accompanied with instructions for use.
- Opioid Safety and How to Use Naloxone (PDF) can be downloaded, printed, and included with naloxone.
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If you have any questions, email pharmacynaloxone@health.nyc.gov.
Dispensing
Standing order prescriber information:
Prescriber: Ashwin Vasan, MD, PhD
NPI: 1225337413
Address: 42-09 28th Street, Long Island City, NY 11101
License: Access the standing order.
Dispense two doses of naloxone and necessary devices for administration. Two naloxone products are currently authorized under the standing order:
- Single-step Narcan® Nasal Spray. NDC 69547-353-02
- Multi-step intramuscular naloxone vial and syringe. NDC 0409-1215-01 or NDC 67457-292-02
Reporting
The following records must be maintained by the pharmacy:
- Name of the recipient
- Name of the pharmacist
- Date on which naloxone is dispensed
- Number of naloxone units dispensed at each interaction.
- 1 unit=2 doses naloxone, regardless of formulation
Quarterly dispensing reports must be submitted to the NYC Department of Health with the total number of units dispensed for each naloxone formulation/product.
- You will be emailed a report reminder with a link for submitting your report by the following dates:
- April 15 for reporting period January 1 - March 31
- July 15 for reporting period April 1 - June 30
- October 15 for reporting period July 1 - September 30
- January 15 for reporting period October 1 - December 31
- If your pharmacy is unable to submit reports online, email pharmacynaloxone@health.nyc.gov to discuss an alternative way to submit reports.
Billing
Many insurance plans cover naloxone. Consider insurance coverage and patient preference when dispensing.
The Naloxone Co-payment Assistance Program (N-CAP) is a State program that covers up to $40 of a patient’s co-pay for naloxone if they have prescription coverage. To bill under N-CAP, the pharmacy must be enrolled in the New York State AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP).
Patients who cannot afford naloxone and are not eligible to use N-CAP can contact NYC Well for a referral to a free naloxone dispenser.
Additional Resources
- Pharmacist Continuing Education: Dispensing Naloxone Via a Non-Patient Specific Prescription
- Naloxone Co-payment Assistance Program (N-CAP) FAQs (PDF)
- Naloxone Available Here Poster (PDF)
- Stop OD NYC mobile App: For IOS or Android. This app can be downloaded for free as a resource for talking to patients about opioids and naloxone.