News
FDA to review a new tamper resistant form of Oxycontin
Oxycodone is commonly abused in rural areas where the availability of heroin is limited and a tamper resistant form of the heavily misused drug is much needed. However, with such great resolve on the part of the drug’s abusers to overcome tamper resistant protocols will their ever be any real gains in control measures? Efforts to resolve this issue are underway: The FDA had given Purdue Pharma’s control release oxycodone a tepid endorsement, according to documents released at an advisory meeting committee. However, there were issues with the initial tamper resistant form of oxycodone; as such the FDA asked Purdue Pharma to obtain more clinical data at a greater range of dosage levels. The results were disappointing in part as abusers of the drug quickly discovered that if they crushed the tablet and then ate or snorted the contents that most of the oxycodone quickly entered their systems, reportedly creating a heroin like effect for the user. In an attempt to overcome this drawback of the drug Purdue Pharma has added a resin base that makes it difficult to crush to form powder. Pharma’s new version of the drug is scheduled to be considered for approval, now for the second time, by the FDA. One can only hope. Click here to read an article from Boston Globe that discusses this study more.
