Pain Management American Style –
10/20/18 -”We are pleased with the Advisory Committee’s recommendation to approve DSUVIA as a treatment in medically supervised settings for adults experiencing moderate-to-severe acute pain,” Dr. Pamela Palmer, Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of AcelRx said in a news release. “We look forward to continued collaboration with the FDA on the application as we believe DSUVIA represents an important non-invasive acute pain management option with potential to significantly improve the current standard of care.” DSUVIA, the drug in question, is a form of Sufentanil—which is more potent than fentanyl and morphine. It would be sold as an under-the-tongue tablet. While it can treat pain, it’s associated with a high risk for addiction and being dependent upon it. Side effects include but aren’t limited to restlessness, muscle spasms, chest pain and fast heartbeat, according to PubMed Health. Anaesthesiologist Raeford Brown of the University of Kentucky, who is also a committee chair, penned a letter Thursday opposing the FDA’s approval. The letter was also signed by Sidney M. Wolfe, Meena M. Aladdin and Michael A. Carome of Public Citizen’s Health Research Group.
