FDA faces criticism as it approves new 'super opioid'
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The Food and Drug Administration is facing criticism from some quarters over its approval on Friday of a powerful new painkiller.
A decision critics question as it comes in the midst of an opioid crisis in the country that is killing tens of thousands of Americans every year.
Dsuvia is apparently as much as 10 times more powerful than Fentanyl and perhaps 1,000 times more potent than morphine.
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A tiny pill with incredible power to alleviate pain and troubling potential to deepen the nation's prescription drug epidemic.
One of my very dear friends got hooked on opioids prescribed by a physician to treat anxiety.
For seven years, the anxiety was abated.
But when it was finally time to come off of the medication that he was prescribed, he realized that he was hooked and has been struggling to break free from its grip for several years now.
We are fortunate to live in an age with so many medications that help us.
Opioids do a lot of good.
But what really matters is that they are also ruining, and ending, a lot of lives. And drug companies and our leaders need to treat this problem like the crisis it is.
