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from the one-should-be-more-than-enough dept.
GungnirSniper writes:
"Pharmaceutical company Zogenix has received US FDA approval to launch a new hydrocodone-based analgesic in March. The drug is intended only for chronic pain, not as an short term or as-needed analgesic. CNN is reporting a coalition of groups are lobbying for the FDA to revoke their approval before the medicine is even available.
The concerns echoed by all groups are broadly about the drug's potency and abuse potential. They say they fear that Zohydro especially at higher doses will amplify already-rising overdose numbers.
'You're talking about a drug that's somewhere in the neighborhood of five times more potent than what we're dealing with now,' said Dr. Stephen Anderson, a Washington emergency room physician who is not part of the most recent petition to the FDA about the drug. 'I'm five times more concerned, solely based on potency.'
A number of other news outlets are hyping the potency of Zohydro, going so far as calling the drug ten times more powerful than a 5mg Vicodan. A fairer comparison may be to OxyCodone, since they have similar opioid levels. Zohydro ER will be available in 10 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg, 40 mg, and 50 mg strengths.
Chemistry Soylents can find the structural formula for hydrocodone bitartrate on RxList.
Should the FDA allow such a potent medication on the market? Or would moving opioid analgesics to Schedule II mitigate the potential for abuse?"
(Score: 1) by xtronics on Saturday March 01 2014, @02:48PM
Why not another one?
More competition is better - may have a different set of side effects - lowers costs. Of course I have this old fashioned idea that my body belongs to me - is my business not the government and what I put into it is my business.
I like freedom - and I like having the freedom to do stupid things if I want - and if I'm dying with painful cancer, I want free access to any opiate of my choice - not your choice - not the government's choice.
If you want someone to limit what you can do - why not join some S&M club where you can get a master?
(Score: 2) by mrbluze on Saturday March 01 2014, @04:44PM
Go ahead have it, but the way the system is run this is just a license to print money for a drug that, if you read the product information, has the same side effect profile as the others. It's a morphine derivative, so allergy to one will give allergy to the other.
Do it yourself, 'cause no one else will do it yourself.
(Score: 1) by xtronics on Wednesday March 05 2014, @02:56PM
Not really - they have differing half lives and even slight differences can prevent and or cause side effects.
(Score: 1) by xtronics on Wednesday March 05 2014, @03:36PM
Also - having more choices and suppliers would lower the cost not raise it (remember when we had one choice for long distance? )