Painkillers prescribed new labels by FDA

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The Food and Drug Administration announced that it would be changing the label requirements of prescription, extended release or long-term ‘opoid’ painkillers in an effort to tackle prescription drug abuse.

The prescriptions, including types of morphine, fentanyl and oxycodone, will see the labels updated to include more specific terms of use.

Required language will identify that said painkillers should only be used “for the management of pain severe enough to require daily, around-the-clock, long-term” treatment and that alternate, less addictive treatments should be considered first.

The label indications will also retain language that will highlight that the drugs should not be use on an “as-needed” basis, as opposed to over-the-counter varieties.