A tiny pill more potent than 1,000 times the strength of morphine has been approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration.
The drug, called Dsuvia, was approved Friday as a fast-acting alternative to intravenous painkillers. One stipulation of its stamp of approval was that the drug can only be administered within the walls of designated facilities like hospitals, surgical centers and emergency rooms, USA Today reported.
But critics of the drug and its potency — it’s 10 times stronger than fentanyl — are weary that such a pill could add to the country’s already alarming opioid epidemic.
The FDA also released a report on Friday detailing the severity of America’s prescription drug abuse and addiction problem. According to the administration, prescription opioids were responsible for the most overdose deaths of any illicit drugs since 2001.
The medication should not be used for more than 72 hours at a time, according to the FDA. Side effects of Dsuvia include breathing problems, extreme tiredness, coma and death.
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