In the latest bid to combat the opioid crisis, several groups representing public health officials, physicians, and safety advocates are urging the Food and Drug Administration to remove “ultra” high-dose opioids from the market, arguing that the risks outweigh the benefits.
In making their case, the groups point to research showing that a person who takes high dosages has a risk of developing an opioid use disorder that is 122 times greater than someone who has not been prescribed opioids, while a person taking a relatively low dose is 15 times as likely to develop a disorder.
“Higher opioid dosages are associated with increased overdose risk,” the groups wrote in a citizen’s petition filed on Thursday with the FDA. “… Ultra-high-dose opioids should be immediately removed from the market to prevent further harm to thousands of adults, adolescents, children and toddlers.”
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