Naloxone Distribution in the United States, 2018-2023

Objectives. To assess US patterns of distribution for all naloxone products. Methods. We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional study using manufacturer reports (total US naloxone distribution) and IQVIA National Sales Perspectives (estimated sales to US health care settings) to assess naloxone distribution quantity and patterns from 2018 to 2023. Results. Aggregated manufacturer-reported data showed that total US distribution of naloxone increased from 7.65 million units (vials, syringes, devices) to 29.7 million units from 2018 to 2023; the largest increase was in distribution of nasal spray devices (2.9 million to 23.4 million devices). Although sales to health care settings doubled (6.3 million units in 2018 and 13.6 million units in 2023), we infer that naloxone distributed to non-health care settings increased from 1.39 million units in 2018 to 16.1 million in 2023, accounting for 54% of total naloxone distributed in the United States by 2023. Conclusions. Distribution of naloxone markedly increased between 2018 and 2023, with the largest increases in distribution to non-health care settings and for nasal spray devices. Public Health Implications. This comprehensive overview of the naloxone supply, with insights into changes in distribution for community use, may help inform assessments, including those involving factors contributing to recent declines in opioid overdose deaths. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print June 18, 2026:e1-e4. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308541).