OPINION:
“FDA pushes companies to develop opioids that resist abuse” (Web, Nov. 21) is extremely timely because President Trump just declared a public-health emergency over the opioid crisis. As a master-of-public-health candidate and a health provider, my perspective is that this wouldn’t help much in solving the current opioid crisis.
“Cheaper and generic” and “abuse-resistant” are two very different things that almost can’t both be satisfied when developing new painkillers. Also, making the painkiller cheaper just increases the accessibility for those who abuse it. What people don’t realize is that prescription opioids are involved in about half of opioid-overdose deaths. The over-prescription of opioids has been happening for years, but nothing has been done to address the problem.
What can make a difference is reevaluating the indication and amount of opioid prescribed per doctor’s visit, and identifying the over-prescription of opioids. We should educate health providers to prescribe opioids more accurately and make sure patients know the consequences of overdosing. It is true that new drugs with different mechanisms may help with the crisis, but it’s far more important to make people use the medication correctly.
HUA HSUAN LIU
San Francisco
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