FDA releases Opioid-related Safety announcement

FDA releases Opioid-related Safety announcement

Introduction

Within weeks following the release of an FDA safety warning, 'FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA warns about serious risks and death when combining opioid pain or cough medicines with benzodiazepines and requires its strongest warning,' comes an additional safety announcement that the opioid addiction medications buprenorphine and methadone should not be withheld from patients taking benzodiazepines or other drugs that depress the central nervous system (CNS).

The study stems from research which showed that the harm caused by untreated opioid addiction outweighed the risk of serious side effects associated with the combined use of these drugs. The FDA added, with careful medication management these risks could be reduced. Buprenorphine and methadone are drugs that aid to reduce or stop the abuse of opioids, including prescription pain medications and heroin; the patient does not feel high and no withdrawal occurs as these drugs act on the same part of the brain where the opioid drugs act.