The pharmaceutical manufacturer Indivior has made the decision to halt the marketing of Opvee, their controversial overdose-reversal medication, after facing backlash from harm reduction groups, low sales, and intense scrutiny from New York State’s Attorney General, Letitia James.
Attorney General James recently announced a settlement with Indivior, requiring the company to refund all public funds used to purchase Opvee in New York and take back any unused units. Prior to this settlement, Indivior had already begun informing stakeholders nationwide that they had stopped promoting the medication.
The harm reduction community has been vocal about their concerns regarding Opvee since its approval in May 2023. They argued that the medication, which contains the ultra-potent active ingredient nalmefene, is not more effective than naloxone at reversing opioid overdoses but is significantly more expensive and carries additional risks. There were fears that Opvee could potentially induce painful withdrawal symptoms in overdose victims, leading them to seek out opioids to alleviate their discomfort.
Indivior defended Opvee, claiming that it could reverse overdoses and restore blood-oxygen saturation more quickly than naloxone, as well as work faster. However, leading professional organizations cautioned against using nalmefene products like Opvee instead of naloxone, warning that it could potentially cause harm.
This setback with Opvee adds to a series of controversies that Indivior has faced, including allegations of illegally suppressing competition for their product Suboxone and failing to monitor suspicious orders, resulting in the proliferation of “pill mill” clinics. Despite their efforts to combat the opioid crisis with products like Suboxone and Sublocade, Indivior has struggled to navigate the challenges of the pharmaceutical industry.
The decision to discontinue the promotion of Opvee comes as part of a larger industry-wide debate on overdose-reversal products. With the rise of fentanyl in the drug supply, some groups have reported difficulties reversing overdoses with standard naloxone, leading to the development of high-dose, expensive alternatives. However, many public health experts view these products as more of a profit-driven endeavor rather than a solution to saving lives.
Although Indivior will no longer actively promote Opvee, the medication will still be available for prescription and purchase. It remains to be seen how this development will impact Opvee’s adoption in other states and whether the federal government will continue their purchase agreement. Additionally, Purdue Pharma, known for manufacturing OxyContin, also produces an injectable nalmefene product called Zurnai.
In conclusion, the discontinuation of Opvee’s marketing marks a significant moment in the ongoing battle against the opioid crisis. The scrutiny from New York State and the harm reduction community highlights the importance of ensuring that medications intended to save lives do not inadvertently cause harm.
