FDA touting newly approved opioid as less addictive, some experts skeptical

Here at Fairwinds Treatment Center, we regularly see how devastating prescription drug abuse can be for individuals and their loved ones. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is hoping a newly approved opioid will help alleviate the problem. Targiniq ER delivers oxycodone, the active ingredient in OxyContin, but combines it with naxolone. If a user crushes the pills to snort or inject them, naxolone blocks the euphoric feeling that addicts crave.

However, naxolone is not activated if someone simply swallows the pills, raising concerns among some addiction experts. They worry that because it is being marketed as a safer alternative to OxyContin, physicians may prescribe the drug too freely.

Dr. Andrew Kolodny, president of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing, told The L.A. Times that he worries Targiniq ER could actually worsen the prescription drug crisis.

"If we really want to turn this epidemic around, the most important thing is to stop creating new cases of addiction," Kolodny told the newspaper. "Coming up with new gimmicks isn't going to help."

On this blog, we have previously discussed the widespread abuse of prescription drugs, which too often can also lead to heroin addiction. According to The Associated Press, prescription-drug related deaths quadrupled between 1990 and 2010. Numerous health groups and governmental agencies are declaring a nationwide health emergency.

If you or a family member are one of the millions of people currently struggling with drug addiction, Fairwinds Treatment Center can help. Since Dr. M.K. (Khal) El-Yousef founded Fairwinds in 1989, it has established itself as one of the top drug and alcohol treatment centers in the nation. Our unique dual diagnosis methodology addresses both a patient's addiction and the psychological issues that caused or exacerbated it, helping patients achieve lasting recovery and healing.