Four pharmaceutical companies are in the final stages of development for a new painkiller that is 10 times stronger than Vicodin and contains a pure version of hydrocodone, and experts are worried it could lead to increased abuse, according to a CBS News report.
One company, Zogenix in San Diego, plans to apply early next year to begin marketing its drug, Zohydro, a timed-release drug meant for managing moderate to severe pain. Experts are particularly worried about the potential for abuse because users can crush the drug for faster relief.
April Rovero, president of the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse, thinks it could be the next OxyContin. As feared with Zohydro, users crushed OxyContin to bypass the timed-release formula. Oxycodone, the main pain-relieving agent in OxyContin, is now the most abused medication in the U.S.
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One company, Zogenix in San Diego, plans to apply early next year to begin marketing its drug, Zohydro, a timed-release drug meant for managing moderate to severe pain. Experts are particularly worried about the potential for abuse because users can crush the drug for faster relief.
April Rovero, president of the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse, thinks it could be the next OxyContin. As feared with Zohydro, users crushed OxyContin to bypass the timed-release formula. Oxycodone, the main pain-relieving agent in OxyContin, is now the most abused medication in the U.S.
Related Articles on Pain Management:
How Does Pain Management Physicians' Compensation Stack Up: A Comparison to Physicians in Other Top ASC Specialties
Study: Listening to Music Effective for Pain Relief
Drs. Gary Franklin and Jeff Thompson: Washington State is Combating Opioid Abuse