FDA Publishes Draft Revisions to Prescriber Blueprint for Long-Acting Opioids

The FDA published draft revisions to its blueprint for educating health care providers about extended-release and long-acting opioid painkillers.

The revisions were published to coincide with a two-day agency workshop on training prescribers on safe use. The blueprint is part of the FDA’s REMS program for these long-acting analgesics, and includes information on several painkiller products, including contraindications, drug interactions and use in opioid-tolerant patients.

Before increasing opioid dosage in patients requiring long-term pain management, the FDA encourages prescribers to look for signs of abuse and to reassess any underlying conditions. HCPs should also periodically review pain and functional goals and track progress.

HCPs should also know the time to transition a patient from an immediate-release treatment to a long-acting formulation, and should discuss the use of naloxone products as a treatment for overdose.