Well, I Guess We’ll Just Kill a Whole Bunch More

And then we can study them – the dead people.

 

The FDA approved the first version of pure hydrocodone to be offered in an extended release formula. You remember the regular hydrocodone, right? The most diverted and abused narcotic in the United States. Our current version is not pure. It’s required to be mixed with an analgesic like acetaminophen. The FDA thinks we deserve better. We deserve the pure stuff.

 

This “will offer prescribers an additional therapeutic option to treat pain, which is important because individual patients may respond differently to different opioids.” But that’s OK because the labels and “packaging will have stronger warnings (and) will more clearly describe the risks and safety concerns.” That should work. It was really effective with OxyContin.

 

And the FDA will require postmarketing studies of this agent to “assess the known risk of serious abuse.” That worked with Actiq. It went from being approved solely for end-stage cancer pain to the second-most prescribed workers’ compensation drug in three short years.

 

If only the FDA had consulted pain and addiction experts. Oh, they did. Their own Drug Advisory Committee of Independent Experts voted 11 to 2, against this approval.

 

Millions of people have had their lives ended, shortened or otherwise impacted by OxyContin, Actiq, Opana and now Zohydro ER. Perhaps the most devastating feature of the government going back to work is that the FDA is back in business. Last week they said hydrocodone was being abused and needed to become a Schedule II drug. Two days later they ignore overwhelming advice and approve a more powerful version of the same drug.

 

No one there will help you. Call us. We can certainly do better.
 
William Faris, JD
Chief Executive Officer
502-495-5040
william.faris@omca.biz
www.omca.biz

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