FDA outlines progress tackling opioid crisis

The US medicines regulator has provided an update on its work to address the country’s ongoing opioid epidemic, leveraging new  powers granted in 2018 under the SUPPORT Act.

As well as acting to prevent the importation of illegal opioids, the agency has used the powers to advance innovation in pain medicines with fewer risks than opioids, and develop better treatments for those with opioid use disorder (OUD).

The Food and Drug Administration said that, according to provisional data, total drug overdose deaths dropped 5.1% from 2017 to 2018.