FDA steps up restrictions on prescribing opioids

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has underlined that it is serious about ensuring appropriate and rational prescribing of opioids to counteract their misuse, as the agency approved new safety measures governing their use.

In approving the final Opioid Analgesic Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS), the FDA hopes to help better communicate the risks about the use of these medications to patients and health care professionals.

This expanded REMS now also applies to immediate-release opioid analgesics intended for use in an outpatient setting as well as extended-release and long-acting opioid analgesics, which have been subject to a REMS since 2012.