'Unprecedented': Legislators Are Trying To Ban A Dangerous New Painkiller Approved By The FDA
AP
Massachusetts is the first state that has succeeded in blocking sales of new pain pill Zohydro, and legislators in Congress are trying to revoke the FDA's approval of the drug.
Last month, Gov. Deval Patrick declared a public health emergency in light of a recent spate of opiate overdoses in the state. Patrick doesn't want Zohydro sold in Massachusetts until drugmaker Zogenix releases it in a tamper-resistant form that would make it harder to abuse.
In a statement to Reuters, Zogenix said the Massachusetts ban "only serves to unfairly restrict patient access" and will "add to patient suffering in the state."
Zohydro is being marketed as a way to treat chronic pain. The pills pack a dose of hydrocodone that's five to 10 times higher than Vicodin, and experts worry that the drug could be deadly and lead to another spike in opioid addiction.
Hydrocodone has effects that are similar to heroin. Zohydro pills could be appealing to addicts and opioid abusers looking for a quick and dramatic high that comes from crushing or chewing the pill to release all the hydrocodone at once.
Currently, the pills are not made with tamper-resistant technology that would help prevent abuse. Zogenix is working on a tamper-resistant version of the drug, but it might not be available until the end of 2016, according to Bloomberg.
New England is in the midst of a nasty heroin epidemic, but Massachusetts isn't the only state that's concerned about Zohydro.
Legislators in Kentucky, West Virginia, and Massachusetts have also introduced bills in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate that would withdraw the FDA's approval of Zohydro.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) (whose daughter is the CEO of competing drug company Mylan Inc., a major campaign contributor) and Reps. Hal Rogers (D-Ky.) and Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), co-chairmen of the Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse, introduced the legislation last month.
"In southern and eastern Kentucky, we lost nearly an entire generation when crushable OxyContin was first prescribed, and I fear this crushable, pure hydrocodone pill will take us backwards with a new wave of addiction and tragic, untimely deaths," Rogers said in a press release. "While there isn't a silver bullet, abuse deterrent formulations offer common sense measures to curb the tide of overdose deaths in this country."
- I quit McKinsey after 1.5 years. I was making over $200k but my mental health was shattered.
- Some Tesla factory workers realized they were laid off when security scanned their badges and sent them back on shuttles, sources say
- I tutor the children of some of Dubai's richest people. One of them paid me $3,000 to do his homework.
- Why are so many elite coaches moving to Western countries?
- Global GDP to face a 19% decline by 2050 due to climate change, study projects
- 5 things to keep in mind before taking a personal loan
- Markets face heavy fluctuations; settle lower taking downtrend to 4th day
- Move over Bollywood, audio shows are starting to enter the coveted ‘100 Crores Club’