SAFE Glen Cove Coalition: FDA Approves Powerhouse Opioid

On Friday November 2 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an opioid that is proven to be stronger than fentanyl and morphine. There are concerns about the FDA's release of what they now call Dsuvia and the effects it will have on the opioid epidemic.

The drug was released as a fast-acting alternative to IV painkillers. Dsuvia can be used in health care settings, such as hospitals, emergency rooms, and surgery centers. There are limitations of where and what the drug can be used for.

Researchers from the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) as well as the general public have expressed that Dsuvia is a danger to the public health and worry that the limitations and restrictions will not be enough. Some individuals have predicted the start of abuse and death within the early months of its release.

The increase of overdose related deaths is already at an all-time high. As seen in many other potent drugs that the FDA approves there is very little control over them regardless of limitations and restrictions. According to a study done, almost half of all overdose deaths in the United States are caused by Fentanyl. There are over 400 opioid drugs on the market.

If Dsuvia becomes illegally available, the number of deaths will be even more disturbing than any other prescription drug overdose to date. In the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2016 data more than 63,000 people in the United States died of an opioid overdose. Prescription and illicit opioids were involved in 66.4 percent of the cases.

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), Massachusetts has the highest opioid overdose rates. Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey stated that an opioid that is scientifically proven to be a thousand times more powerful than morphine is just as likely to be abused if not even more. The senator also made a statement to the FDA to urge them not to release such a strong opioid.

FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb stated that it was carefully considered for the military to have access to Dsuvia for treatments regarding war. He also defended the drug by stating that it would help health care professionals prevent dosing errors.

AcelRx Pharmaceuticals are the creators of Dsuvia. Dsuvia comes in a single-use package and will not be available at retail pharmacies. The drug should not be used more than once in 72 hours and is manufactured in tablet form that dissolves under the tongue. Side effects include but are not limited to extreme fatigue, breathing problems, coma and even death.

Sweeping legislation was signed by President Donald Trump to improve treatment and authorizes research into nonaddictive drugs that could be put into place for pain medications. Addiction is the problem when it comes to strong opioids. With this research it could help the health care system and hopefully decrease the number of overdose deaths.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) is the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public health research. For more information about NIH please visit https://www.nih.gov/.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a federal agency that conducts and supports health promotion, prevention and preparedness activities in the United States, with the goal of improving overall public health. For more information about the CDC please visit https://www.cdc.gov/.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is a United States federal-government research institute whose mission is to "lead the Nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction." For more information about NIDA please visit https://www.drugabuse.gov/.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA or USFDA) is a federal agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food safety, tobacco products, dietary supplements, prescription and over-the-counter medications. For more information about the FDA please visit www.fda.gov.

The SAFE Glen Cove Coalition is conducting an opioid prevention awareness campaign entitled, "Keeping Glen Cove SAFE," in order to educate and update the community regarding opioid use and its consequences. To learn more about the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition please follow us on www.facebook.com/safeglencove or visit SAFE’s website to learn more about the Opioid Epidemic at www.safeglencove.org.