Opioid
Purdue Pharma pleads guilty, will pay billions for role in opioid epidemic
Purdue Pharma and the United States Department of Justice announced that they have reached a deal that resolves multiyear civil and criminal investigations into the pharmaceutical company’s marketing practices related to its opioid medications.
AI predicts postoperative opioid use
An artificial intelligence tool based on data from patients’ electronic medical records correctly identified which patients would need high doses of opioids after surgery, according to findings presented at Anesthesiology 2020.
'Life is not a chemical deficiency': Exploring opioid use in rheumatology practice
With judicious use, opioids may, in fact, have a role in managing chronic pain in the rheumatology setting, according to a presenter at the 2020 Congress of Clinical Rheumatology-West.
Cannabis increases odds of nonmedical opioid use
Cannabis use significantly increased the odds for nonmedical opioid use among adults with a history of substance abuse, according to research published in Addiction.
Prescription pain medication abuse declining in US
Prescription pain medication abuse has declined in recent years, according to research presented at the Anesthesiology 2020 annual meeting.
FDA approved opioids based on limited data, sometimes ‘flawed’ trial designs
The FDA has often approved new drug applications for opioids based on trials of inadequate length that included only patients who could tolerate the drugs, according to researchers.
Phase 3 study evaluates tolperisone for back spasm pain
A phase 3, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study is evaluating tolperisone in patients experiencing pain from acute muscle spasms in their back, according to a poster presentation at this year’s virtual PAINWeek meeting.
FDA requires benzodiazepine labels to include addiction risks
The FDA announced that manufacturers of benzodiazepines will be required to update their boxed warning to list the risks for abuse, addiction, misuse, physical dependence and withdrawal reactions associated with the drugs.
Buprenorphine buccal film effective for moderate, severe chronic low back pain
Buprenorphine buccal film treatment led to greater reductions in pain than placebo among patients with moderate or severe chronic low back pain with and without previous opioid exposure, according to research presented at this year’s virtual PAINWeek meeting.
Opioid-associated hearing loss rare, but should be considered when prescribing
Opioid-associated ototoxicity, or hearing loss, appears to be an adverse event that can occur with the use of a variety of opioids, according to research published in the Journal of Medical Toxicology.