FDA Approves Implant Device to Treat Drug Addiction
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently said that it will be officially approving the use of a new form of drug treatment. Doctors will now be allowed to implant a device into a patient’s arm, with the device automatically dispensing anti-addiction medication designed to help the patient curb their addiction to prescription drugs.
Buprenorphine is used under the brand name Suboxone. One major hurdle faced by drug addicts who are looking to get clean is that Suboxone prescriptions are severely restricted under federal law. For years, US lawmakers have feared that Suboxone could get into the wrong hands and be abused by individuals who are not undergoing carefully monitored treatment.
The majority of drug overdose fatalities in the United States come from opioid abuse, according to federal statistics.
And the problem of drug addiction and overdoses is currently trending in the wrong direction: since 1999, as the total number of prescription painkillers sold on the market has drastically increased, the total number of prescription painkiller overdose deaths has quadrupled.
How Does the Drug-Treatment Device Work?
The device that is used to dispense the anti-addiction drug is called Probuphine. It represents the first FDA-approved implantable option to assist patients as they try to beat their drug addictions.
Doctors implant the medical device in a patient’s arm. Once the device has been successfully placed into the body, it releases dosages of buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid medication. When administered in appropriate doses, buprenorphine suppresses the symptoms of opioid withdrawal and decreases cravings for opioids.
Medical experts believe that buprenorphine is more effective than other anti-addiction drugs because it reportedly places a ceiling on opioid effects and has a lower potential for misuse.
Criticisms of the New FDA Implant Device
Some people have spoken out against the FDA-approved implant device because they believe that the federal government should not be officially backing the use of any opioids, even partial opioid agonists like buprenorphine that help drug addicts fight their painkiller addictions.
However, Dr. Nora Volkow, the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health, strongly disagrees with the idea that the only way to cease drug addiction is to “go cold turkey.” Volkow noted that short-term detoxification programs don’t always work when it comes to helping a drug addict beat their addiction problems in the long term, while anti-addictions drugs can actually allow a drug addict to get past their addiction. Moreover, said Volkow, there is scientific evidence to suggest that “maintenance treatment with these medications in the context of behavioral treatment and recovery support are more effective in the treatment of opioid-use disorder” than merely encouraging drug addicts to stop using painkillers or heroin on their own.
To learn more, check out the CNN.com article, “FDA Approves Device to Wean Addicts off Heroin.”
If you have been charged with illegal prescription drug possession, possession of heroin, simple possession of marijuana or any other drug offense in New York, you need to talk to a qualified criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. The experienced criminal defense lawyers at the LaDuca Law Firm can help you fight your drug offense charges and avoid the most severe penalties. Contact us now to discuss your case or schedule a free consultation at our office in Rochester, NY.
