FDA approves powerful opioid despite fears of more overdose deaths

[DonViejo]

Source: The Washington Post



By Lenny Bernstein November 2 at 2:02 PM

The Food and Drug Administration approved a powerful opioid Friday for use in health-care settings, rejecting criticism from some of its advisers that the drug would inevitably be diverted to illicit use and cause more overdose deaths.

The opioid is five to 10 times more potent than pharmaceutical fentanyl. A tiny pill that is just three millimeters in diameter, it is likely to worsen the nation’s drug crisis, according to critics and the head of the FDA’s advisory committee on painkillers.

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb issued an unusual statement saying he would seek more authority for the agency to consider whether there are too many similar drugs on the market, which might allow the agency to turn down future applications for new opioid approvals.

“We need to address the question that I believe underlies the criticism raised in advance of this approval,” Gottlieb wrote. “To what extent should we evaluate each opioid solely on its own merits, and to what extent should we also consider .?.?. the epidemic of opioid misuse and abuse that’s gripping our nation?”

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/fda-approves-a-powerful-new-opioid/2018/11/02/88cd27e6-deaf-11e8-85df-7a6b4d25cfbb_story.html

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

1. Obviously, that's what they want.

[nycbos]

2. Let's be real.

This crisis is only a "crisis" because white people are dying.

[SKKY]

15. You're not wrong. I wish you were, but you're not.

[ck4829]

25. +1 (And I'm white)

[sandensea]

3. The same outfit spent $500k to defeat legalized pot

Fentanyl is 50 times more addictive than heroin.

Its most famous (but by no means only) victims, of course, were Prince and Tom Petty.

[workinclasszero]

6. Gee I wonder why?

See kids this is why a harmless herb is still illegal and can get you jail time and a record!

[kysrsoze]

4. Why the fuck would you need an opioid 5 to 10 times more powerful than Fentanyl?

Fentanyl itself is already WAY too powerful. And of course, people could just do marijuana instead... with no risk of addiction or death.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

5. Bc they are drug dealers, protected by corporate laws.

CORPORATE REFORM-2019
Just what the world needs...more pain killer pills.

[jmowreader]

20. Because there are cancer patients who have pain fentanyl won't relieve

Kysrsoze, once you've gotten to the point where fentanyl isn't doing it for you, marijuana won't do shit. It would be like giving aspirin to someone who just chopped off his leg with a chain saw.

In a broad spectrum of drugs that range from ones that relieve mild suffering (where aspirin is fine) to ones that make the kind of pain you wouldn't wish on anyone but Donald Trump bearable, marijuana has A place but not the ONLY place.

[crim son]

21. Thank you for stating what should be obvious. n/t

[Archae]

7. This was posted here before...

The drug is for acute pain sufferers, administered in cancer centers and places where patients go to die.

It has to be administered by a nurse or doctor.

I wish we would not automatically go to "We're all gonna die!" mode every time a new drug or farm chemical comes out.

[CountAllVotes]

8. +1

Thanks for the sanity!

[blaze]

9. Thank you. nt

[keopeli]

10. +1

[Ellen Forradalom]

11. The fear that quantities might be diverted to the streets

is not unreasonable. I hope controls are up to the task.

[Archae]

12. I think they will be, actually taking this drug involves a lot of effort.

Mostly on the part of the nurse or doctor, they have to use an applicator, anyone who tries to handle the drug will probably get a fatal overdose.

So on the streets...

(Pusher hands an addict a little pill)

Both of them die of overdose through their skin.

[atreides1]

13. But controls don't always work, do they?

We can't assume that there won't be a break in that wall! At some point this drug will get on the street...because most of them do!

So on the streets...

(Pusher with small plastic bag and wearing gloves, hands an addict a little pill)

Pusher collects the money and walks on, addict dies of overdose soon after taking pill!!!

[Archae]

14. Of course.

Addicts have shown they will do anything, for a fix.

Even sell their babies and steal from their parents.

So do we ban anything an addict might abuse?

[SKKY]

16. I agree with you in principle regarding the hyperbolic response...

...but based on my experience, and from some of the things I've seen, once that genie is out of the bottle, it doesn't go back. Actually to the contrary, it tends to seriously screw things up.

[Aristus]

17. At least it won't be available for prescribing in the outpatient setting.

Just what an overworked clinician needs: another powerful drug about which patients will insist: "But Dsuvia is the only thing that works!"

I became a Physician Assistant to help heal people. More and more, it seems I'm just trying to stem the headlong rush of patients too eager to kill themselves by inappropriate use of medication.

[dixiegrrrrl]

23. chalk one up to saturated advertising of drugs.

I was astounded at the amount of prescription advertising I've seen. Time was that was not allowed, and for good reason.
Cigarette advertising is not allowed anymore, but some medicines equally as addictive are.

[Sunlei]

18. "for use in health-care settings" This is good news, many people NEED pain relief in Hospitals

[imavoter]

27. Some people actually need narcotic for pain relief

Not everyone is an addict...the need for pain control is real.

[Sunlei]

29. I agree. and a very tiny pill (like this new one) was needed.

a lot harder to make "dosage mistakes" with a pill.

[roamer65]

19. We are going to legalize MJ in MI.

I plan to use MJ as my arthritis gets worse. Screw NSAIDS and opioids.

[dixiegrrrrl]

28. Sites like leafly dot com do good reviews of the effects of strains of weed.

Including pain control.

I really like that legal weed is sold with so much information about the strains, both THC level and medicinal properties.

Now that it has reached tipping point of legal states, companies are racing to jump on the lucrative bandwagon, which will, in turn, put pressure on more states to legalize it. (looking at YOU, Alabama)

[Sunlei]

30. MJ works very, very well to 'reduce inflamation'. wish it was Legal everywhere.

[Flaleftist]

22. Fentanyl has a pretty bad rap now.

Here's a new drug, that probably costs a lot more and could be used instead.

[ck4829]

24. K&R

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

26. I'm so disappointed we have yet another pain med

but no new antibiotic push. I've heard we havent had new antibiotics in many years, bc they don't pay the bills.
yet, hysteria about majijuana as a pain killer. It's just corporate America running our lives in yet another venue.
These will be used as recreational. bc. they always are. People will die.
That from the group that hides behind pro-life. Groan.