FDA faces criticism after approving powerful new opioid

Dsuvia is 5 to 10x more powerful than fentanyl, 1,000x more potent than morphine

In case you missed it: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new opioid medication that’s five to 10 times more powerful than fentanyl -- and 1,000 times more potent than morphine.

And the approval came last month, despite the ongoing opioid crisis plaguing the nation. The move has come under fire, considering the country's current circumstances.

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Dsuvia, as it's called, is a tablet taken in a single-dose, prefilled applicator -- to be administered under the tongue by health care providers to patients in settings such as hospitals, surgical centers and emergency rooms, according to the company.

The drug will not be available in retail pharmacies or for outpatient use.

"Because of the risks of addiction, abuse and misuse with opioids, Dsuvia is also to be reserved for use in patients for whom alternative pain treatment options have not been tolerated, or are not expected to be tolerated, where existing treatment options have not provided adequate analgesia, or where these alternatives are not expected to provide adequate analgesia," according to a statement about the drug's approval.

So, why exactly was this approved? What does FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb have to say about it? And read more from one group that said, "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is recklessly and needlessly endangering people by approving a super-strong opioid."

Read the full story by clicking or tapping here.


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