The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first generic naloxone spray to stop or reverse an overdose on opioid drugs, Medscape reports.

Teva Pharmaceuticals is producing the generic version of the spray, which was approved as a brand-name drug in 2015.

The spray is approved for use by those with no medical training and is meant to be administered into one nostril while the individual experiencing an opioid overdose is lying on his or her back. The drug can be given to both adults and children and can be readministered if necessary.

The FDA also intends to prioritize the review of other generic versions of products indicated for the treatment of opioid overdose.

A year ago, Surgeon General Vice Admiral Jerome Adams, MD, MPH, encouraged more Americans to carry naloxone, including the family and friends of those at risk for opioid overdose as well as opioid users themselves.

Opioid overdose deaths among people with HIV have increased rapidly in recent years, following a nationwide trend that has been fueled in particular by the entry of fentanyl into the drug market.

To read the Medscape article, click here (free registration with the site is required).