The Food and Drug Administration is requiring pharma companies selling opioid pain medications to “better emphasize and explain the risks associated with their long-term use” on medication labels, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said in a July 31 statement.
“These changes follow a public advisory committee meeting in May that reviewed data showing serious risks—such as misuse, addiction, and both fatal and non-fatal overdoses—for patients who use opioids over long periods,” the department said.
Drug labels must now show clearer risk information, describing a summary of study results showing estimated risks of addiction, overdose, and misuse of the medication over the long term….