FDA Panel Approves Insert for Opioid Addicts

By Jonathan Springston, Associate Managing Editor, AHC Media

An FDA advisory panel last week approved an insert device designed for opioid addicts.

Probuphine is a thin strip implanted under the skin that releases buprenorphine, an FDA-approved drug used to treat opioid addiction, over the course of several months. Instead of ingesting daily oral medications, one Probuphine insert lasts six months.

The appearance of Probuphine is likely to revive the debate over the administration of addiction treatment. What is the right dose for an addict? Should an addict remain on treatment forever, or can physicians eventually wean the patient? Probuphine could be the latest step in crafting treatments to individual patients.

In the March issue of Pharmacology Watch, William Elliott, MD, FACP, will dig deeper into the story of Probuphine. Be sure to check it out. In the meantime, AHC Media is focusing closely on the opioid epidemic. The cover story of the February issue of ED Management examines various proposals to alleviate the problem. On Feb. 9, AHC Media will host a live webinar discussing the revised standards of safe opioid use. And the March issue of Primary Care Reports will focus on strategies for safe opioid prescriptions.