CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) – Naloxone, the drug used to reverse opioid overdoses, is now available in a generic form after years of being sold under the brand name Narcan. The switch has lowered the cost for Illinois.

“The data tells us that the more kits of Naloxone that we distribute, the less overdose deaths that we have,” Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) Coordinator Joe Trotter said.

The lower price allows the state to buy more kits to distribute to the public.

“This allows then the state to procure more kits that we can give out,” Trotter said.

Health departments across Illinois give out the kits for free.

Overdose numbers have dropped in the CUPHD.

“Just from 2023-2025, our estimation is that we’ve had about a 60% reduction in overdose-related deaths, which is enormous. So, the product absolutely does work, but we have to give it to people and get it out to the community,” Trotter said.

Trotter said nothing changes with the switch from Narcan to the generic version. It is the same product. He recommends everyone have access to it, whether they use drugs or not.

The drug is administered as a nasal spray.

The free kits at CUPHD are available in the main lobby.