The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that it will require opioid (painkiller) medicine manufacturers to include new safety warnings in the instructions for use of these medicines.
The FDA says, citing reports that patients who take opioid medications for pain relief after surgery often have extra pills left over, which can increase the risk of addiction and even overdose.
Updated safety warnings for these medicines should include information on which patients to prescribe opioid pain medications, the appropriate dose and how to administer them, and how to deal with leftover pills.
Also, on the new packaging, there should be a warning about the risk of overdosing as the dose increases and that opioids should not be used for long periods if the patient’s pain is relieved.
Becker’s Hopsital Review reports that the FDA’s move is part of the agency’s public education program to combat the nation’s opioid crisis and prevent addiction to such medicines.
