ISTOCK, SDOMINICKThe US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first non-opioid drug for treatment of the symptoms of opioid withdrawal. Announcing the move in a press statement yesterday (May 16), the agency noted that Lucemyra (lofexidine hydrochloride) is intended to help adults who abruptly stop taking the addictive painkillers, and is only approved for treatment for up to two weeks.
“It won’t completely eliminate symptoms of withdrawal,” Mark Pirner, the senior medical director at Lucemyra manufacturer US WorldMeds, tells STAT News. “But for places and people where withdrawal is perpetuating higher opioid use, then Lucemyra is an appropriate therapy.”
In 2016, opioid-related overdoses in the U.S. led to more than 42,000 deaths—a toll that exceeded the number of people killed in car crashes. The drugs are notoriously addictive, with withdrawal symptoms including extreme nausea, vomiting, and anxiety.
“We know that the physical symptoms of opioid withdrawal can be one of the biggest barriers for patients seeking help and ultimately overcoming addiction,” FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb says in the statement. “The fear of experiencing withdrawal symptoms often prevents those suffering from opioid addiction from seeking help.”
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