Safety Advocates Worried about New Pain Pill on Market
The FDA has approved a powerful pain killer, Zohydro, and many are worried about the likelihood of it being abused
Despite lack of support from the FDA’s panel of outside advisors and worried members of the safety industry, the FDA has approved the drug Zohydro, according to ABC News. The painkiller is pure hydrocodone—it does not contain any added drugs, such as acetaminophen, like most painkillers do.
Hydrocodone is already a highly abused prescription drug, which has led to worry and protest in the safety community. A panel of safety experts criticized the drug last year, believing that more drug addicts would overdose on the pill as a result of not knowing how strong it actually is.
FDA defended the release of the drug, saying that it is aimed at helping people with 24/7 pain that requires constant attention and cannot be treated with other painkillers. According to ABC News, hydrocodone is already the most widely prescribed drug in the country—and also one of the most abused. The FDA stated that the drug will be regulated under the schedule II classification.
For more information, visit: http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/national/fda-approves-more-powerful-pure-hydrocodone-drug-zohydro